No. 2 Hawaii sweeps No. 5 UC Irvine in Big West matchup

Kristian Titriyski records season-high 20 kills in straight-set victory

Apr. 5, 2026 at 4:09am

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The No. 2 ranked University of Hawaii men's volleyball team defeated the No. 5 UC Irvine Anteaters in straight sets, 25-22, 25-22, 25-22, in a Big West Conference matchup at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, California. Kristian Titriyski led the Rainbow Warriors with a season-high 20 kills in the dominant performance.

Why it matters

This victory keeps Hawaii unbeaten in Big West play and solidifies their position as one of the top teams in the nation. The win over a highly ranked UC Irvine squad is an impressive result that will boost Hawaii's NCAA tournament resume.

The details

Titriyski was the catalyst for Hawaii, putting down a season-best 20 kills to lead the Rainbow Warriors to the straight-set triumph. Hawaii controlled the match from start to finish, winning each set by an identical 25-22 score.

  • The match took place on April 5, 2026.

The players

Kristian Titriyski

A key player for the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team who recorded a season-high 20 kills in the victory over UC Irvine.

University of Hawaii

The No. 2 ranked men's volleyball team that remained unbeaten in Big West Conference play with the sweep of UC Irvine.

UC Irvine Anteaters

The No. 5 ranked men's volleyball team that was defeated by Hawaii in straight sets.

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What’s next

Hawaii will look to continue their strong start to conference play when they host Long Beach State on April 12th.

The takeaway

Hawaii's dominant performance against a highly ranked UC Irvine squad demonstrates their status as one of the top men's volleyball teams in the country and solidifies their position as the team to beat in the Big West Conference.