HONOLULU — In a stunning reversal, the University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team opened the Big West schedule with a five-set loss to UC Irvine on Friday at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Two points away from a sweep, the Rainbow Wahine (6-5, 0-1 Big West) instead saw the visiting Anteaters close the third set on a 7-1 run to extend the match then roll through the fourth to force a decisive set. The final two points of a taut fifth set tipped to UC Irvine (8-5, 2-0) to give the Anteaters the 21-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-13 victory.
UH went to a fifth set for the seventh time in 11 matches and fell to 4-3 in those matches while dropping its fourth straight overall.
UH outside hitter Caylen Alexander continued to lead the Rainbow Wahine attack early and posted a team-high 19 kills before sitting out the fourth and fifth sets. Freshman middle blocker Miliana Sylvester put away a season-high 16 kills in 30 attempts with a .333 hitting percentage and was in on six of UH’s 10 blocks. Outside hitter Stella Adeyemi added 11 kills.
Setter Kate Lang finished with 50 assists and a season-high 19 digs in her sixth double-double of the season and libero Tayli Ikenaga had 20 digs. The match marked the fourth time Lang recorded at least 50 assists this season and Ikenaga’s fourth with at least 20 digs.
Middle blocker Jacyn Bamis and outside hitter Tali Hakas added nine kills each.
UC Irvine’s victory was its second in 48 all-time meetings with UH and its first since pulling off another reverse sweep on Oct. 4, 2019. UH had won seven in a row against the Anteaters since then and had swept the previous five meetings.
Hunter Riedl led the Anteaters with a match-high 21 kills in 41 swings to hit .415 and assisted on five of UCI’s 12 blocks. Ella Gardner added 13 kills and three blocks and Nicole Feliciano finished with 40 assists and 17 digs.
UC Irvine took a 15-13 lead into the technical timeout in the first set but UH went on a 5-1 run to move ahead at 20-18 and prompt a UC Irvine timeout. Sylvester added a solo block and a kill to extend UH’s lead to 22-18. Back-to-back blocks gave UhHset point at 24-19 and Alexander closed out the set with her seventh kill.
UC Irvine took leads at 14-10 and 17-13 in the second set and answered UH’s comeback bids to maintain control at 21-17. UH went on a 4-0 run with Alexander and Bamis alternating kills to catch the Anteaters at 22-. With Lang’s serving forcing UCI out of system, Alexander scored again and a UC Irvine error gave UH set point. The ‘Bows closed out the set on a 7-1 run when an Anteaters free ball sailed wide and UH took a 2-0 lead for the second time this season.
Jackie Matias served up UH’s first ace of the night and forced an overpass that Alexander hammered to give the ‘Bows a 13-8 lead in the third set. UH maintained a cushion and led 23-19 before UC Irvine ran off the next three points to close to within one. The Anteaters then tied the set when an ace landed just inside the boundary and a UH error gave UCI set point. The ensuing serve sailed long to force deuce, but Anteaters converted the next two kills to cap a 7-1 run of their own to extend the match.
UC Irvine rolled the momentum into the fourth set in putting away five of its first seven attacks while opening up a 9-2 lead. UH started the set 1 for 21 with five errors and UCI continued to pull away at 13-4. Victoria Leyva helped spark a UH run from the service line and UH closed to 15-12 when freshman Adrianna Arquette, who entered as a setter earlier in the match, scored as an outside hitter for her first kill. The ‘Bows got to within two before UCI surged ahead again to take a 20-15 lead and closed out the set to push the match to the fifth.
Sylvester and Adeyemi ignited the UH attack in the fifth and the ‘Bows led 8-7 midway through the set. Bamis and Hakas teamed on a block and Adeyemi’s 11th kill gave UH a 12-10 edge. The Anteaters answered again to tie it with their 12th block of the night. The teams traded sideouts and the Anteaters earned match point at 14-13 on a kill by Gardner. They then celebrated the win after UH’s final attack rolled along the tape and landed out.
The Rainbow Wahine close the first weekend of conference play against Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. Saturday.
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