Push Back

Wednesday, February 11

Riverside

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

Hawaii

University of Hawaii

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

2/11/2015 9:01:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Despite finding itself in a two-set hole, California Baptist University battled back against Hawaii, the sixth-ranked team in the NCAA, in the Van Dyne Gym Wednesday.

The Warriors dug in and managed to defeat the Lancers in three sets, 25-15, 25-15, 25-23. Hawaii improves to 8-3, 5-2 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and CBU sees its record move to 3-10, 1-9. Jonathan Tuttle led CBU in kills and digs with nine and four, respectively. Enrique de Diego Garcia also boasted a well-rounded stat line with four kills on eight swings, three digs and two blocks.

In the opening set, the Lancers began to build some momentum right from the start and scored five of the first six points after an ace from Jackson Burge (four kills) and a spike from Tuttle. The Warriors turned things around with a 14-5 run that gave them a 15-10 lead.

Burge came up with another kill in the second set that helped CBU tie things at 5-5. Hawaii used another healthy run, 7-1, to take a strong advantage en route to a victory and two-set cushion.

Even with a sizable deficit of 15-11, there was no chance the Lancers were going away quietly. They pulled within 15-14 after two kills from Garcia and a vicious spike from Zachary Melcher on an over ball.

Hawaii broke the 3-0 run for a second, as CBU used another 3-0 spurt to take its first lead since the opening set, 17-16, after a kill each from Garcia and Melcher. Both teams played to ties at 17, 18 and 19 before a well-time 2-0 run – fueled by a Daniel Maurer kill and Roy Powell ace – gave the home team a 21-19 edge.

The lead remained at 23-21 after a Tuttle kills, but the Warriors rallied for the sweep by scoring the final four points of the match. Melcher finished with 21 assists, two kills, two digs and a block.

CBU and Hawaii square off again Friday at 7 p.m. in the Van Dyne Gym. The Lancers will then be on the road for two matches at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara.