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12/6/2008 - VOLLEYBALL
Bruins Overpowered by No. 6 Hawai'i in NCAA First Round
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Courtesy BelmontBruins.com
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Belmont volleyball ended one of the best seasons in program history with a three-set loss to No. 6 Hawai'i in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night in Los Angeles, Calif. (19-25, 25-11, 25-16).
Belmont (25-8) was in-step with the Wahine early in the first set when they took a lead of 6-5 after beginning the set with a 1-3 deficit. The Bruins strong effort was fueled by freshman Channing Salava's four kills on five attempts in the first set. Salava finished with no attacking errors and a .714 hitting percentage for the match. Belmont lost the first set, 19-25, which featured five tied scores and two lead changes.
During the second set Hawai'i (29-3) began to find the same grove that gave them a 15-match winning streak coming into the NCAA Tournament, going on a 10-0 run to take a 13-5 led. The Rainbow Wahine held Belmont to a -.083 hitting percentage while allowing no Bruin to have over one kill, individually, in the second set.
Hawai'i powered through the third set with 15 kills on a .303 hitting percentage as a team to take the match with a 16-25 set-three victory.
"I was pleased with the effort that our team showed, knowing that we were going to give up inches - sometimes several - at every position from the playing and coaching side of things," Head Coach Deane Webb said. "Dave has been coaching there since I was three, so I have the utmost respect for that program and what he has been able to do there - it hasn't always been that way. It is an amazing experience that (Hawai'i) gets to enjoy with the fan support. I told him before the match that it was an honor to coach against him."