VOLLEYBALL (M)

2/19/10 - Royals Have Fun in Déjà vu Match

By Tim Gooszen

Honolulu, HI-  For the second time in as many nights,  Hope International met up with NCAA Division I Hawai’i with the result nearly the same as the Warriors defeated the Royals 3-0 (30-17, 30-23, 30-26).  The main difference on Friday was the Royals appeared to go into the match with the main thought process of having fun as two starters did not play all night and the rest of starters played sparingly.  Junior Jordan Doolittle made the most of his increased playing time as he put away 5 kills, hit .364, and picked up 6 blocks including two solos.

Unlike Thursday night when the Royals never lead the entire match, Senior Alex Figueiredo delivered a kill to give the Royals (5-5) the first point of the night.  The next seven points produced a 4-4 tie with both teams taking a lead during that stretch.  Eventually, the Warriors (8-5) used a 6-0 run to take control of the first set.

The Royals hit -.133 while allowing the Warriors to hit .303.  Figueiredo and Junior Brett Massetti had two kills for the team lead after one set.

Set two saw the Royals jump out to any early lead which they held until the Warriors forced a tie at 13-13 and then took the lead for good in the set on the next point.  Freshman Bernard Luna had the hot hand early as two of his three kills for the set came in the first eight points of the set.  Doolittle posted two of his kills and four of his blocks during the set.

The third set, or the “tie” set, featured 10 ties between the teams.  The Warriors opened with the lead but the Royals responded by tying the score- one of seven ties in the first 14 points of the set.  The Royals took the lead on a service ace from Junior Andrew Marques- who actually went to school for one semester at Hawai’i.  Though Hope International held the lead for a few more points, Hawai’i came back and then went back in front.

With the Royals within one at 16-15, the Warriors used a 6-0 run a second time to distance themselves again.  The Warriors would push the lead to 27-20 but the Royals were not ready to completely give in yet as they closed out the match on a 6-3 run.  Unfortunately, the three points was enough to give the Warriors the match.

Junior Mana Guerreiro, playing in just his second match of the season due to a previous injury, recorded five of his six kills for the match (and the season for that matter) in the third set.  Massetti added three of his team high 7 kills in the final set as well.

Guerreiro and Senior Noah Casaquit, both playing on their home soil, produced a team high nine digs.  Marques dished out 26 assists while also recording 5 digs.

The Royals will return to the mainland on Sunday and with the exception of an exhibition against Long Beach City on Wednesday they will have a week to catch up on life and rest up for a busy month of March.  The next match that counts on their record will find them in Arizona to go head-to-head with Grand Canyon on March 1- the first of four matches in three days.

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