George F. Lee / [email protected]
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Tread Rosenthal and Trevell Jordan were up for a block against NJIT Highlanders Andrew Fedmasu during an NCAA mens’ volleyball game on Friday.
The University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team scored the first five points and never looked back in its season-opening sweep of the New Jersey Institute of Technology tonight.
UH never trailed in a 25-11, 25-16, 25-14 romp before a boisterous turnstile crowd of 5,685 at Bankoh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
It was evident from the start that the Highlanders were not at the level of the Rainbow Warriors, who are ranked No. 2 nationally in the coaches preseason poll.
The opening salvo displayed just part of the Warriors’ wide array of weaponry. It started with Adrien Roure and Kristian Titriyski kills, followed by Tread Rosenthal’s first ace, a block by Justin Todd and Titriyski and then Rosenthal’s second of his team-high three aces.
After NJIT settled down a little, UH middle Trevell Jordan got into rhythm with his first kill, followed immediately by a combo block with Rosenthal, putting Hawaii ahead 9-3.
Titriyski led UH with 12 kills, including four in the first set. He also had two aces.
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Hawaii hit .517 to .045 for the visitors.
UH’s setter, Rosenthal, also led the block party, in on eight of his team’s 13.5. NJIT had no blocks. The Warriors had 10 in the first set alone.
Andre Aleixo led NJIT with 10 kills.
The Highlanders kept it close with three ties to start the third set, but then the Warriors strung together one of Roure’s eight kills with two blocks by Finn Kearney and Ofeck Hazan go ahead 6-3.
This was the first of eight home matches to start the season for UH.
The same teams meet Sunday, with first serve at 5 p.m. The Warriors will receive their 2025 Big West championship rings after the match.