HONOLULU, Hawaii – The No. 7 Pepperdine men’s volleyball team (11-4, 3-0 MPSF) battled fiercely but ultimately fell to the No. 3 University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (15-2) in a hard-fought match Friday night, losing 1-3 (22-25, 25-21, 15-25, 34-36). The Waves faced a tough environment and a strong performance from Hawaii, particularly from the service line, in a contest that went down to the wire in the fourth set.
Despite a valiant effort, Pepperdine struggled with consistency throughout the match, according to head coach Jonathan Winder. “Our team certainly has the will to win and a tremendous amount of grit,” Winder said. “It’s a group I’m extremely proud of and excited to coach everyday because we have a desire to win and a desire to learn. This week we’ve learned a lot against a talented and organized Hawaii team in a tough environment. They had a great crowd and played really well tonight, especially from the service line with their setter who made lots of plays.”
The Waves started slowly, hitting just .132 in the first set and committing four service errors. Hawaii capitalized on these errors to take the first set 25-22. Pepperdine responded in the second set, aided by the entry of Hawaii native Aidan Tune, who provided a spark. Cole Hartke secured the set win with back-to-back kills, leveling the match at one set apiece with a 25-21 victory.
However, Hawaii came back strong in the third set, hitting a remarkable .632 while Pepperdine committed seven attacking errors. This allowed the Rainbow Warriors to take a commanding lead and win the set 15-25. The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading points and reaching a 25-25 tie. The set extended for 19 rallies before Hawaii ultimately prevailed 36-34, securing the match win.
Hawaii outhit Pepperdine .390 to .260 overall. Cole Hartke led the Waves with 20 kills, while Ryan Barnett was the most efficient attacker, hitting .312. Jacob Reilly had a perfect reception percentage in 31 attempts for Hawaii. Andrej Polomac dished out 43 assists for Pepperdine, and Barnett also contributed two service aces.
Key Stats from Friday’s Match
Here’s a breakdown of the attacking statistics for both teams:
| Set | Kills | Errors | Total Attempts | Hitting Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperdine 1 | 11 | 6 | 38 | .132 |
| Pepperdine 2 | 15 | 2 | 31 | .419 |
| Pepperdine 3 | 5 | 7 | 22 | -.091 |
| Pepperdine 4 | 23 | 3 | 46 | .435 |
| Hawaii 1 | 15 | 7 | 32 | .250 |
| Hawaii 2 | 17 | 5 | 36 | .333 |
| Hawaii 3 | 15 | 3 | 19 | .632 |
| Hawaii 4 | 26 | 5 | 49 | .429 |
What’s Next for the Waves
Pepperdine (11-4, 3-0 MPSF) returns home to face No. 16 Penn State on Wednesday, March 11, at 6:00 p.m. PT. The match will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required), with live stats available at www.pepperdinewaves.com.
The Waves will look to rebound from this tough road loss and continue their strong season. This match against Penn State will be a key test as they navigate the competitive MPSF conference schedule.
Share your thoughts on the match and the upcoming game against Penn State in the comments below!
