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The Maui News
Rado Parapunov put down 20 kills and also served up four aces, and the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team completed a three-match sweep of UC Santa Barbara with a 25-22, 25-19, 26-24 victory on Saturday in Santa Barbara, Calif.
After dropping the first set in the first match of the series Thursday, the No. 1-ranked Rainbow Warriors won nine straight sets on the No. 3 Gauchos' home floor.
King Kekaulike High School graduate Colton Cowell added six kills for UH (7-0) in the nonconference match, along with nine digs, three blocks and three assists.
In the first set, Hawaii scored six straight points with the help of three aces by Parapunov for an early 8-4 lead, and the Rainbow Warriors led the rest of the way.
Holding a slim 14-13 lead in the second, the Rainbow Warriors went on an 8-3 run -- capped by a Cowell kill -- to take control.
The Gauchos responded in the third set, opening up a 17-13 advantage. UH chipped away to tie it up at 19, and the teams battled back and forth. UC Santa Barbara had set point at 24-23 on a kill by Randy DeWeese, but the Rainbow Warriors completed the sweep by scoring the final three points on kills by Parapunov, Max Rosenfeld and setter Jakob Thelle.
DeWeese led the Gauchos (4-3) with 12 kills. Randy McFarlane added 10.
The Rainbow Warriors have next week off before hosting UC San Diego on March 26-27.