LONG BEACH, Calif. — The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team put together a complete performance to finish off its Big West road trip with an commanding sweep of Long Beach State on Saturday at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif.
Caylen Alexander put away a match-high 18 kills while hitting a season-best .452 and the Rainbow Wahine (9-5, 3-1 Big West) put on a show for a national television audience while posting their second sweep of the season in the 25-17, 25-16, 25-19 victory over the Beach.
Less than 24 hours after completing a reverse sweep at UC San Diego, the ‘Bows showed no signs of wear following the five-set duel and maintained their momentum through the 101-minute victory to end LBSU’s five-match winning streak and hand the Beach (9-5, 3-1) its first loss of the conference schedule. UH’s win combined with results across Saturday’s league schedule forged a six-way tie for first place in the Big West race with the ‘Bows, Beach, Cal Poly, UC Irvine, Cal State Bakersfield and UC Davis all at 3-1.
UH setter Kate Lang distributed 36 assists and had a match-high 15 digs to post her eighth double-double of the season and 43rd of her career. The senior raised her career assists total to 3,822 to move past Mita Uiato into fifth-place in program history.
Alexander had 10 digs in her ninth double-double of the season and UH’s defense held Long Beach State to 24 total kills and a .062 hitting percentage. The ‘Bows posted 50 digs to LBSU’s 29 and had seven blocks with Jacyn Bamis and Tali Hakas in on four each. Hakas also contributed eight kills and eight digs to the win while Bamis had nine kills in 16 swings.
Manoa Roofing Company back in business!#GoBows #SISTAHHOOD pic.twitter.com/Jfi5qt5VMs
— Hawaii W. Volleyball (@HawaiiWVB) October 6, 2024
Jackie Matias served up two of UH’s five aces and the ‘Bows didn’t allow an ace for the first time since their last visit to the Pyramid, a sweep of the Beach in last year’s Big West Championship final.
Long Beach State led 13-11 in the first set of Saturday’s matchup when Alexander put away a kill then put together a five-point service turn which included an ace and two Hakas kills. The Beach closed to 17-15 before UH pulled away again with a four-point run and led 21-15 when Stella Adeyemi sent back her first solo block of the season. UH maintained control and Adeyemi put away set point.
Alexander and Bamis accounted for all of UH’s scoring in a 6-0 run early in the second set. Alexander had three kills in the surge while Bamis had two kills and a block assist. LBSU got no closer than five and UH opened up a 22-12 lead on a Matias ace on its way to a 2-0 lead in the match.
Match-high 13 kills on .476 hitting through 2 sets#GoBows #SISTAHHOOD pic.twitter.com/UAVLPzX76N
— Hawaii W. Volleyball (@HawaiiWVB) October 6, 2024
LBSU led 5-3 in the third set when Alexander again had a lengthy service turn and UH jumped ahead 8-5. The surge was part of a 9-1 extended run and UH controlled the set with Bamis and Sylvester combining for six kills through the middle.
The Rainbow Wahine return to SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center to face UC Davis at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 and UC Riverside at 5 p.m. on Oct. 13 in a Sunday matchup.
#HawaiiWVB
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