Finishing close, as it turns out, can earn a victory cigar.

Despite losing to the UCLA — 30-26, 30-26, 25-30, 27-30, 16-14 — in last night's final match, Hawai'i won the overall title of the 12th Outrigger Invitational.

UH, UCLA and Ohio State, which defeated Penn State in the early match yesterday, completed the tournament with 3-1 records. But the Warriors won the tie-breaker by having the best winning percentage of games. They were 8-3 in tournament games. UCLA and Ohio State each had 6-5 records.

It was the Warriors' fifth Outrigger championship.

Still, UH setter Brian Beckwith lamented, "It isn't a consolation. We wanted to win that match (against UCLA). Unfortunately, they got the best of us."

To be sure, the Warriors had their chances in the roller-coaster match, taking a 4-0 lead in the final game and serving for match point at 14-13.

But UCLA setter Dennis Gonzalez scored on a push shot to tie it at 14. Then Sean O'Malley, who was blocked on his two previous attack attempts, slammed a kill from the left side. The Bruins sealed the victory when UH opposite hitter Lauri Hakala's crossing shot was wide left.

"It's one of those things," Hakala said of both the match and his final swing. "You either have it or you don't. It went the wrong way."

Gonzalez, who was named the tournament's most outstanding player, said: "Our team, oh, my gosh, didn't quit. This whole tournament, it was all about the team. We played like a team. We never gave up. We fed off of the crowd's energy. That's how great it is to play here. I know it's a big rivalry. I know they don't like us in here too much. But the people from Hawai'i are good people. I'm from Puerto Rico. I'm an islander, also. It's great to come out here."

The Warriors entered the match riding the success of their new quick offense, in which the attackers are in motion before the set. But it was the Bruins, at least early, who proved to be too fast and too furious.

The Bruins actually label their middle blockers as "quick attackers." And Nick Scheftic and David Russell — benefitting from accurate passing and Gonzalez's quick sets — were able to pound shots over and through the UH double blocks.

Scheftic, who is 6 feet 11, hammered 17 kills and hit .519. After struggling early in the week, Scheftic said, "I came back and tried to bang the ball, and be there early and quick to hit over the block."

Russell stepped in for Jamie Diefenbach, the Bruins' best middle. Diefenbach will miss an extended period after suffering a torn meniscus in last week's match against UC Irvine. Russell hammered 14 kills (against one error) and hit .394.

"David was very energized," UCLA coach Al Scates said. "We hadn't really gone to him earlier (in the tournament), but we decided to go to him tonight. He was on, so we kept going to him."

Scates said Russell is effective because of his improvised plays.

"He was running different routes," Scates said. "I don't know where he was going. He was doing a lot of verbal routes. It was between him and Dennis. He was running all over the place. "

Russell said he received instructions from the bench during sideouts. But during rallies, "I'll call whatever I want," he said. "It works out because Dennis is such a great setter."

As for replacing Diefenback, Russell said: "I've been here four years. The fifth year is the charm. I'm ready."

After the Bruins won the first two games, UH coach Mike Wilton replaced Hakala, the Warriors' most aggressive hitter, with Jake Schkud in the middle of Game 3. Schkud, who hammered six kills in that game, provided a lift, leading the Warriors in Games 3 and 4.

Wilton said he replaced Hakala because "he looked tired mentally, and it seemed Schkud did a pretty good job. We're deep. We have to play a lot of people."

Hakala returned in the final game, nearly lifting the Warriors to their fourth consecutive win.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.