VANCOUVER – The UBC men's volleyball team is back in Canada after a pair of non-conference matches against the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors, the No. 3 team in the NCAA Division I-II rankings.
 
The hosts won both contests 3-0 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. Friday's set scores were: 25-17, 25-17 and 25-19, while Saturday's game ended 25-21, 25-18 and 25-17.
 
"Though we didn't get the results we were hoping for, I thought our two matches against Hawaii were extremely valuable in preparing us for an important stretch of matches here in January," said UBC head coach Mike Hawkins. "The environment we played in was second to none, with 3,000-plus fans both nights not only cheering for their home team, but also cheering whenever we made good plays. Hawaii is a physical and senior team and are poised to legitimately contend for a national championship this season. None of our Canada West competitors we will face in the next few weeks can say they are as prepared as we are for hard fought matches after our matches against the University of Hawai'i."
 
Nick Mickelberry and James Takken led UBC on Friday with six kills apiece while playing just two sets each, while Coltyn Liu had 10 digs. Setter Ben Hooker had 26 assists.
 
On Saturday, Liu knocked down 14 kills and recorded a .500 hitting percentage to lead the Thunderbirds. Hooker, Michael Dowhaniuk and Tyson Smith had four digs each. Hooker recorded 25 assists.
 
"On top of the games, it was an incredible opportunity for our team to take in the beauty of Hawai'i, soak in some sunshine, and spend some meaningful time as a group. We took the opportunity to go through a few team activities as well, so in terms of our team cohesion and dynamics, we came back with tangible things to help us move forward as a group.
 
"I just want to thank Charlie Wade, his staff, athletes, and all the UH supporters for making us feel so welcome on our trip to Hawaii. One of the highlights of our trip was the post-match potluck on Saturday night with all the boosters and families of the team. It was an amazing experience for our guys to get to know some of their players and supporters. We are really looking forward to continuing this relationship with Coach Wade and their team."
 
UBC resumes Canada West league play this weekend as the team will host MacEwan this Friday (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (6:30 p.m.) at War Memorial Gymnasium.