On what should have been an emotional night, the ex-Marine still was not at ease.

"Maybe it will hit me on Senior Night (next week)," said Mike Wilton, who yesterday announced he was leaving as Hawai'i volleyball coach when his contract expires June 30. "I was glad we played better tonight."

The Warriors completed their two-match sweep of Pacific with a 30-20, 31-29, 30-28 victory before 1,314 in the Stan Sheriff Center.

Joe Strotman hammered 13 kills, and Joshua Walker had 10 kills (and no errors) in his lone-set appearance. But the focus was on Wilton, who has filed his retirement application from UH after 17 seasons as the Warriors' head coach.

Wilton had wanted to wait until April 20, the Monday after the season ended. But when word leaked out about his retirement plans, he decided to tell his players yesterday afternoon.

"It was pretty quiet," freshman outside hitter Steven Hunt said. "We all shook his hand and gave him some hugs."

UH setter Sean Carney, an 'Iolani School graduate who was raised in Hawai'i, recalled Wilton's wonder years.

"He started a legacy at UH," Carney said. "We didn't have the best past two seasons, but when you look back, he gave Hawai'i some great teams. With Costas (Theocharidis) and Tony Ching and Eyal (Zimet), and all the way back to Yuval Katz ... those were great teams. And he's definitely the face of UH volleyball."

Wilton said he is leaving, in large part, because three of his five adult children and their families live on the Mainland. He has accepted an assistant's job with the Brigham Young women's volleyball team.

"I know his contract was ending, and his children were all on the Mainland," Carney said. "But volleyball is in his heart and his blood. He'll always be involved in that."

The Warriors and Tigers are not in contention for the eight-team Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs. Still, Walker said, "we gave it all we had."

Seven of Walker's 10 kills were on "bics" — quick sets to the middle of the back row.

"I love playing the bic, because if it's a good set, I can see the whole block," Walker said. "I was getting great sets."

Carney, who moved back to setter this past week, said credit should go the passers. "They're the ones who make it easy for (the setters)," Carney said.

Walker said the players managed to overcome "the shock" of Wilton's announcement to play with focus.

"We got through the match," Walker said. "Now we can focus on making sure he goes out with two more victories."

Carney said: "We thanked him for building the program, and for letting us be a part of it. We're fortunate to play volleyball in a beautiful place like Hawai'i."

After the match, Pacific coach Joe Wortmann sought Wilton. They both had coached women's volleyball before making the transition to the men's sport.

"Mike has always been a good friend to me and a good colleague," Wortmann said. "He's fair, and a real supporter for our league and, really, for volleyball in the country. He's always pushing for honesty, fairness and integrity. I thanked him for being my friend. I really mean that. I wish he could have gone out on a better year. He's had some marvelous teams, and some marvelous years."

Wortmanm added: "That being said, it's a bummer to lose again."