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Hawaii's Sakanoko earns AVCA Player of the Week after historic road sweep

A decade-long drought ended as Hawaii volleyball stormed the Pyramid. Now ranked No. 2, can Sakanoko's firepower outlast UC Santa Barbara's revenge bid?

,   and  ASMedia
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The image shows a silver medal with a picture of a man playing volleyball on it. The medal is...
The image shows a silver medal with a picture of a man playing volleyball on it. The medal is adorned with text and a logo, and is placed on a white surface. The man in the picture is wearing a red and white striped shirt and blue shorts, and has a determined expression on his face. He is holding a volleyball in his right hand and a net in his left. The text on the medal reads "Volleyball" in bold black letters.

Hawaii's Sakanoko earns AVCA Player of the Week after historic road sweep

Hawaii's Louis Sakanoko has been named AVCA National Player of the Week after leading his team to a road sweep over Long Beach State. The Rainbow Warriors secured their first two wins at the Pyramid since 2015, climbing to No. 2 in the national rankings behind UCLA.

Sakanoko played a key role in both victories, averaging 3.83 kills per set with a .571 hitting percentage across the two matches. On Saturday, he recorded a match-high 15 kills and hit .619 in Hawaii's straight-set win. His performance raised his season hitting percentage to .376, placing him among the top 16 in the country.

Sakanoko missed the final two sets of Friday's match due to cramps but recovered in time for Saturday's game. The wins marked Hawaii's first sweep over Long Beach State at the Pyramid in nearly a decade. Now ranked second nationally, Hawaii prepares to host No. 8 UC Santa Barbara in two of its final four regular-season matches. The Gauchos, who swept the Rainbow Warriors to end last season, have already defeated No. 6 Pepperdine and split matches with No. 5 UC Irvine this year.

Sakanoko's award marks the first time a Hawaii player has received the AVCA National Player of the Week honour this season. The team's rise to No. 2 sets up a crucial rematch against UC Santa Barbara, who remain a strong contender in the conference. The upcoming matches will test Hawaii's momentum as the regular season nears its end.

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