HONOLULU, Hawai'i — The University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team fell to No. 3 Hawai'i in straight sets (25-18, 25-19, 25-17) Saturday morning in the OUTRIGGER Invitational at the Stan Sheriff Center to a crowd of over 5,800 fans.

In the biggest game in UMO men's volleyball history, the Trojans battled early in the opening set, keeping pace with the Rainbow Warriors through the middle portion before Hawai'i used a late run to pull away for the 25-18 win. The Trojans again kept things competitive in the second frame, but Hawai'i's efficient offense helped the top-ranked team extend its advantage and claim the set 25-19. In the third, Hawai'i used a strong serving stretch to build separation before closing out the sweep with a 25-17 victory.

Matthew Ekberg led the Trojans offensively with eight kills, while Brooks Ignosci added six kills and Kory Grant chipped in four kills on a .300 hitting percentage. Jackson Lahey directed the offense with 23 assists.

Defensively, Mount Olive totaled 15 digs in the match and finished with two team blocks, highlighted by a combined block from Ekberg and Maksim Kazanov in the opening set.

Hawai'i was led by Kristian Titriyski, who paced all players with 10 kills, while Finn Kearney added nine kills for the Rainbow Warriors. As a team, Hawai'i hit .603 in the match while recording six total blocks.

The Trojans are scheduled to face Lewis University today at 9 p.m. EST to continue play at the OUTRIGGER Invitational.