Uh Men's Volleyball Reaches NCAA Final After Beating Long Beach State
uh men's volleyball is headed to the NCAA national championship match after beating Long Beach State on Saturday night. UH will play UC Irvine on Monday night, with a title on the line and a fan base following it from Hawaii and across the continental U.S.
Long Beach State Sends UH Through
The semifinal win put UH one step from the top of the bracket. It also set up a rematch with UC Irvine, a team UH played in March, after the Warriors handled Long Beach State in Los Angeles.
Kainoa Wade said the group is ready for the moment. He added, “We got the national championship (Monday) night. This is something everyone on this team has dreamed of since we were little kids. This is why we play volleyball. We’re going to rise to the occasion.”
Rosenthal Stays In The Match
Setter Trent Rosenthal injured his leg after falling on a play, but he kept going through the pain in the semifinal. Charlie Wade said, “I mean, he’s moving around pretty good,” and added, “Tough guy and a serious competitor, so I think (he’ll) be ready to go.”
The coach also said the lineup has changed the way UH functions, pointing to Brink as a piece that has rounded out the team. Charlie Wade said UH is playing a lot better than it was when it met UC Irvine in March, which gives Monday’s match a different look from the first meeting.
Pauley Pavilion Follows Hawaii
UH is expected to draw a large crowd at the championship match. About 3,000 people were outside Pauley Pavilion on Saturday, and many more fans are traveling from Hawaii and other parts of the continental U.S. to back the team.
Jamie Hobean, who attended UH Manoa, said, “Love everything about Hawaii volleyball,” while Wendy Hobean added, “And our 16-year-old, he follows it really closely. Go ‘Bows!” Kealii Torco said, “This team deserves it,” and added, “We love them as family, and it’s an enormous sense of pride. We’re representing not only a school but a state and our people.”
Kainoa Wade said that support has become part of the moment, not just a backdrop. “I carry such a strong sense of pride from being from Hawaii. I’ve seen like all these teams go through the same thing, and now, last night, just like showed me, like, wow, I’m really a part of it now. So it’s, it’s a great honor.”
