JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Jake Schkud, Hawaii's lone senior, was honored following Hawaii's 3-0 loss to BYU last night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Warriors fall again to BYU

Schkud's final home match ends in a sweep by BYU, leaving the team all but out of the playoffs

Senior night didn't last long enough to suit Jake Schkud. The lone senior on the Hawaii men's volleyball team saw his final appearance at the Stan Sheriff Center end after just 105 minutes.

No. 13 Hawaii (10-15, 7-12) remains mathematically in contention for a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoff berth with two matches remaining at Pepperdine next week, but any Hawaii loss or UC Irvine win would keep the Warriors out of the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

Regardless of how Hawaii finishes, the Warriors will have their first losing season in conference play since 1992. Hawaii was 7-9 in 1992, Alan Rosehill's last season as coach.

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Sole Warriors senior Jake Schkud was covered in leis after his final home match.

It was match point and everyone in the Stan Sheriff Center knew where the ball was going. Hawaii setter Sean Carney wanted to make sure Jake Schkud got at least one more swing in his final home match last night.

Schkud, the Warriors' lone senior, put down his 30th attempt to bring Hawaii to within six points, but it would not be enough. No. 3 Brigham Young finished off the sweep of No. 13 Hawaii, 31-29, 30-19, 30-24 in 105 minutes.

A turnstile crowd of 1,940 (3,113 tickets) saw former Pearl City High all-state selection Jonathan Charette put down 11 kills to keep the Cougars in contention for the Mountain Pacific Sport Federation title. BYU (21-4, 16-4) is tied with Cal State Northridge heading into the final week of the season.

"It was so nice to come back and play in Hawaii," Charette, a senior opposite, said. "It was important for us to come in here and win these two. Two years ago, Hawaii beat us twice here. It's a tough place to play and we had to stay focused."

Focus was the key for the senior-laden Cougars, who turned the match with a late rally in Game 1. The Warriors were in control, leading 28-26 when kills by Trent Sorensen and Charette tied it at 28.

The Warriors earned what would be their only game point on a kill by Nemanja Komar at 29-28. The Cougars more than held off the Warriors, scoring three straight points in a stunning rally that was capped by Russell Holmes' kill.

The effects carried over to Game 2, in which BYU led by as many as 11 (28-17), pulling away on a 5-0 serving run by Sorensen. Hawaii held off one game point, but that was it as Charette hammered down his 10th kill to give BYU a 2-0 lead at the break.

Unlike Thursday, the Warriors couldn't rally to force a fourth game. Brennon Dyer's ace brought Hawaii to within 15-14, but BYU pulled away with an 8-2 run for the Cougars' eighth sweep of the season.

Sorensen added 10 kills for BYU. Joshua Walker, who put down a career-high 29 kills Thursday, finished with 10 to lead the Warriors.

The five BYU seniors were recognized after the match, as was Schkud, who was buried under leis.

"We're really proud of him," his mother, Angela, said. "It was a wonderful experience for him."

"We're happy that he came here," Schkud's father, Henri, added. "No one appreciates volleyball like Hawaii does. The people have treated him so well here. He didn't want to play anywhere else."

For Schkud it was bittersweet.

"It wasn't the way I wanted it to end," he said. "It doesn't look like we're going to make the playoffs. But this team only loses me, so they'll be really strong next season and best of luck to them.

"We still have two more games left, now we've got to go out and win these next two, finish off on a winning note. Why not go out and screw up the MPSF standings?"