By: Tiff Wells – ESPN Honolulu’s Hawaii Men’s Volleyball Play-by-Play
1 – Starting…Eight. Those that attended Senior Night knew that one of the six honorees would be the captain, Spyros Chakas. The last time they saw him it was March 10th as he was being helped off the floor by his teammates with a lower leg injury. Fans assumed their one chance to show their aloha for the Nea Smyrni, Greece native would be during the postmatch Senior Night ceremony. Not so fast my friends. For the first time all season-long, Head Coach Charlie Wade and the coaching staff designated two liberos in the lineup. The eighth and final player announced by PA voice Ben Kia`aina was in fact Spyros Chakas, who received the first of two standing ovations on Saturday evening. Two of those in house were his parents, Georgios Chakas and Sofiria Papalouka.
2 – T.O. D(ouble)-D(ouble). At the beginning of the season, Head Coach Charlie Wade mentioned this team would go as far as the opposite position would take them. The last three players at that position, are now playing pro after having All-American collegiate careers: Stijn van Tilburg, Rado Parapunov and Dimitrios Mouchlias. He’s been here for five seasons and saving his best for his sixth and final one, first-year starter Alaka`i Todd had himself a senior weekend to remember. After six kills and seven digs on night one, Todd earned his first career double-double in the rematch as he registered 12 kills and 10 digs. While the longest-tenured ‘Bow registered his first ever double-double, freshman setter Tread Rosenthal recorded his third (48 assists, 10 digs).
3 – A Series To Remember For The Middles. There was no answer by any of the four Gaucho middles in trying to stop, or slow down UH’s two starting middle blockers. Efficient was the word of the weekend for Guilherme Voss. 21 kills on 27 swings with just one hitting error, Voss combined to hit .739 over the eight sets played. Sitting at fifth in UH history in total career blocks, the Brazilian added seven more blocks to his ledger. Not to be outdone, third-year sophomore Kurt Nusterer recorded five kills on nine errorless swings and had four blocks on night one. And then he did his part on night two to ensure the seniors would go out with a win as he went career. A career-high 10 blocks as the Mānoa Roofing Company notched a season-best 18.5 total team blocks. You also can’t forget the set two serving run on night two by Nusterer as UH scored the final four points to steal the set 26-24 and take the important 2-0 match lead.
4 – Sakanoko To Start, Thiim To Finish. With three capable outside hitters vying for two spots, someone is going to be coming in off the bench. With three-time Big West Freshman of the Week Louis Sakanoko starting for Spyros Chakas for the fourth straight match, Keoni Thiim has been placed as the top service sub for Head Coach Charlie Wade. Sakanoko began the series with five kills in the opening set on Friday as UH won it 25-23. Finishing the first match with nine kills, six digs and three blocks, he was better on Saturday to a tune of 15 kills, seven digs and six blocks. Three of Sakanoko’s 15 kills came in the fifth and while the Gauchos got their taste of the French influence all series long, it was the high-flyin Kalani High Falcon who played his best when it was needed in the last set. Coming in late in the fourth set for Chaz Galloway, Thiim was efficient in the fifth set sprint. Four kills on eight errorless swings, that included a post-kill yellow card for a celebration, he also recorded four digs and was in on a block. But it was his energy as the match went into its third hour of play that helped the crowd become energized and willed this team to win number 20 on the season.
5 – Sum Of The Parts > The Whole. The Rainbow Warriors knew the scout of UC Santa Barbara was to try and slow down the number two attacker in the nation, Geste Bianchi. The Gauchos’ opposite attacker averages four and half kills per set, over five points per set and he got his on both nights. 17 kills on night one and a career-high 32 (on 70 swings) on night two, Bianchi did his part. It was the second time this season UH allowed an opposing player to score 30+ kills (UC Irvine’s Hilir Henno had 36 on March 10th). You know what you’re getting from Bianchi, but what are the others doing? No one else had more than seven in the first match and just one other attacker for the Gauchos (Ben Coordt, 17 kills) had double-digit kills. Meanwhile, Tread Rosenthal had a much more diverse attack. In the first match, UH had five players with five or more kills and then on night two, the Bows offense had four players with seven or more kills.
6 – Senior Night On The Island. There are Senior Nights. And then there are Senior Nights on the island. No one does it best to send out their seniors in style like the state of Hawai`i. Sure the start time of the festivities were on Hawaiian Time with the match going five sets (3 hours and 6 minutes) and included a red card to Head Coach Charlie Wade, but the celebration was just that much sweeter after Keoni Thiim slammed down the final point as UH won the set 15-12 and the match 3-2. A classy move by UH as they recognized the seven UCSB players who expect to graduate in the spring and while it took some time to honor each of UH’s six seniors, nearly all of the 8,924 in house stayed well into the night to celebrate the Rainbow Warriors. The lei were plentiful, the selfies were endless as all will remember yet another chapter in the storied Senior Night festivities here at UH. While the season is not done, mahalo to those six: Austin Buchanan, Kevin Kauling, Alaka`i Todd, Guilherme Voss, Chaz Galloway and Spyros Chakas.
