RAINBOW WARRIOR VOLLEYBALL
Warriors climb to third in the nation
Movin' on up. It's been the theme for the Hawaii men's volleyball team.
Ranked seventh to start the season, the Warriors have steadily climbed up in the poll. Yesterday, Hawaii (13-4) moved up a spot to No. 3, the same ranking the Warriors held a year ago this week.
"It's better than being seven, or all those numbers that we were before," UH junior middle Dio Dante said.
"But I'm not worried about the polls. It doesn't matter where we're ranked now but at the end."
Warriors coach Mike Wilton agreed, saying what mattered was where the team was in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings. Last week's two victories over UCLA moved Hawaii into second place at 11-3, a game behind UC Irvine (12-3), the new No. 1.
After beating BYU twice last week, the Anteaters replaced the Cougars at the top of the poll, becoming the fourth team this season to hold the No. 1 spot. BYU dropped to No. 2.
Hawaii hosts No. 10 Loyola-Chicago in 7 p.m. matches this Friday and Saturday. The Ramblers (16-4), the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association leaders, defeated Carthage 30-14, 30-18, 30-22 last night.
Saturday's match will be preceded by two UH alumni matches.
The 4 p.m. contest will feature alumni from the 1950s to 1980s, followed by the second match between alumni teams from the past 15 years.