‘Bows Come Out on Top in Big West Opener

  0 Julie Haake | September 23rd, 2017 | College - Women's Indoor, Division I Mid-Major, News

MATCH STATS

  • Hawaii (RV) defeats UC Irvine, 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21)
  • Hawaii improves to 7-5; UC Irvine drops to 12-2
  • Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Attendance: 6189
  • Box Score

HONOLULU – The Rainbow Wahine defeated the Anteaters Friday night in the Big West Conference Opener. Hawaii has extended their win-streak to 5, while giving UC Irvine their first loss in 7 games.

Hawaii hit .243 on the night, with 16 kills in the third set, and held Irvine to a .194 clip. The Bows out-blocked the Anteaters 11-5.

Hawaii setter Norene Iosia totaled 42 assists and 12 digs for a double-double, one kill and four block assists. Her opponent, Ali Koumelis, notched 47 assists, eight digs, and one kill.

Three Hawaii players posted double-figure kills in Emily Maglio with 13 kills on a .464 clip and McKenna Granato with 12 kills, and Casey Castillo with 10 kills on the night.

Irvine also had three players post double figure kills, led by Haley DeSales. She put away 17 kills along with 11 digs for a double-double. Idara Akpakpa and Harlee Kekauoha each added 11 kills.

This brings Hawaii’s home conference win streak to 20, dating back to 2014. Both teams will continue Big West Conference play as Hawaii hosts UC Davis on Saturday, and UC Irvine travels to Davis next Friday.

PRESS RELEASES

Courtesy of Hawaii Athletics

HONOLULU—The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team (7-5, 1-0 Big West) came back from a set down to defeat UC Irvine (12-2, 0-1 Big West) in their Big West opener, 18-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21. UH won its fifth-straight match while snapping UCI’s six-match win streak on Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Sophomore setter Norene Iosiaran a balanced offensive attack with three Rainbow Wahine notching double-digits in kills, led by Emily Maglio‘s 13.

Iosia dished out 42 assists and passed the 1,400 career assist mark in the match. She finished the match with 1,434 career assists. She also recorded her fourth straight and eighth overall double-double this season with 12 digs in the game. Iosia was in on four blocks with a kill.

Maglio led UH with 13 kills and no errors in 28 swings for a match-high .464 hitting percentage. She also recorded a match-high seven blocks in the win. It marked the eighth time this season that Maglio has put down double-figure kills.

Junior outside hitter McKenna Granato buried 12 kills in the match to pass the 500 career-kill mark. She needed just 10 coming into the match to reach the milestone and finished with 502 total. Granato tallied five digs with a block, an assist and two service aces. Fellow junior outside hitter Casey Castillo added 10 kills with three blocks.

Senior libero Savanah Kahakai posted a match-high 24 digs and had two assists in the match. It marked the seventh time this season that she was in double-figures in digs and it was the fourth time this year that she recorded 20 digs in a match.

Kendra Koelsh, UH’s senior outside hitter who is a converted setter, went past the 100 career kill mark with eight kills in the match to bring her career total to 104.

In the first set, UH got the first point on a Maglio kill, but the Anteaters proceeded to reel off six-straight points to force the ‘Bows to call an early timeout. UC Irvine led by as many as nine points midway through the set, but UH kept battling and closed to within three points at 21-18. UC Irvine however pulled away scoring the last four straight points to take the first set, 25-18.

In the middle of the second set, UH went on a 5-to-1 run and took an 18-13 lead that forced a UCI timeout. The Anteaters could not recover from the deficit as UH went on to win the frame, 25-22 to even the match at 1-1 as the teams went into intermission.

The third set was a tight affair with three early ties. But with UH trailing 4-5, the ‘Bows scored four straight behind the serving of Gianna Guinasso to give UH an 8-5 lead. The ‘Bows would maintain their lead the rest of the way to win Set 3, 25-20.

In the fourth set, both teams were fighting hard. After nine ties (the last coming at 19-19) and four lead changes, UH slowly pulled away and held off the Anteaters to seal their win, 25-21.

UH out-hit UCI, .243-to-.194 and out-blocked the Anteaters, 11.0-to-5.0.

UC Irvine was led by Haley DeSales who had a match-high 17 kills.

The win brought their home conference win streak to 20 matches dating back to 2014.

Hawai’i will take on the Aggies of UC Davis on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Stan Sheriff Center.

Courtesy of UC Irvine Athletics

HONOLULU, Hawaii – The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to defending Big West champion Hawai’i in its conference opener Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Set scores were 18-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21.

The Anteaters (12-2, 0-1 BWC) saw their six-match win streak snapped as they suffered only their second loss of the year, while UH (7-5, 1-0 BWC) won their fifth in a row.

Junior Haley DeSales led three ‘Eaters in double figures with a match-high 17 kills. She added 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Juniors Idara Akpakpa and Harlee Kekauoha also finished with 11 kills each.

Once again, UCI’s defense took center stage as it totaled 67 digs. Senior Luna Tsujimoto anchored the effort, racking up a season-high 23. It was her 13th time reaching double digits and her second 20-dig performance in 14 matches.

Hawai’i scored the first point of the opening set, but UC Irvine responded with six unanswered. The ‘Eaters stretched their hot start into a 12-2 run that ended with a Kekauoha ace, to pull ahead, 12-3. The Rainbow Wahine made it interesting, coming within three at 21-18, but the Anteaters did not break as a kill from DeSales started a 4-0 spurt that gave them the 25-18 win.

It went back-and-forth in set two until the ‘Bows reeled off four-straight points to go on top, 18-13. UC Irvine sided out and eventually closed the gap to two (22-20) on a DeSales kill, but UH was able to hold on for the 25-22 victory.

In the third set, the ‘Eaters took an early 4-2 advantage on a kill from Kekauoha, but Hawai’i came back with a 6-1 spurt to go up, 8-5. The Rainbow Wahine stayed out front and pushed their lead to 22-16. UCI then cut the deficit in half with three-straight points, including back-to-back kills from DeSales. The ‘Bows refused to relinquish the lead, however, as they emerged with the 25-20 win.

It was another tightly contested affair in the fourth frame with four early ties. The Anteaters would break a 9-9 deadlock with a 7-2 run, but UH answered with a 5-0 rally of its own to knot it back up at 16-16. The two sides continued to trade points before the home team made the final push to prevail, 25-21.

Hawai’i finished the night with 62 digs and 11 team blocks. Middle hitter Emily Maglio led the way at the net with 13 kills and no errors on 28 swings (.464), to go along with seven blocks. Libero Savanah Kahakai had a match-high 24 digs.

UC Irvine will look to bounce back next week when it travels to UC Davis for a 7 p.m. Big West showdown on Friday, Sept. 29.

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