NORTHRIDGE, Calif. >> A lack of brilliance, artistry or passion could not prevent No. 6 Hawaii from maintaining its undefeated record in Big West Conference volleyball on Saturday night.
The Rainbow Wahine had to grind through a 25-14, 25-17, 25-19 victory over Cal State Northridge to earn their 17th consecutive victory and 13th consecutive sweep. That 87-minute result, combined with Cal Poly’s five-set loss to UC Davis on Saturday, enabled UH (22-1, 12-0) to add to its cushion in the standings with six matches remaining.
Hawaii is 21/2-games ahead of Long Beach State and three games in front of Cal Poly. The Wahine have defeated the 49ers twice, including Friday’s emotional four-set win at the Walter Pyramid, and play the Mustangs in San Luis Obispo on Nov. 19.
"Tonight was difficult," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "There was really no emotion. Northridge has been struggling, so it was hard to look sharp. We played just good enough to win."
Matadors coach Jeff Stork — a three-time Olympian who helped the United States win the 1988 gold medal at the Seoul Games — provided one specific.
"If they pass well, which I don’t think they necessarily did tonight, they have a lot of good options," Stork said. "Normally, we try to load up on a particular player defensively. But this is a team that doesn’t afford us that opportunity every single time."
The Matadors (5-19, 4-8), seeking to avoid their eighth loss in nine matches, fought UH from the outset. There were six ties early in Set 1 before the Wahine used a 6-0 spree during Clare-Marie Anderson’s service to pull away for good at 12-6.
Tayler Higgins and Olivia Magill helped Hawaii dominate Set 2 early, building an 8-1 lead. Magill had two block assists and four kills off quick sets from Higgins, who amassed 12 assists during that set and 21 for the match.
"Their middles are hard to stop, in particular with our middles," Stork said. "We don’t have the dynamics they do."
Hawaii held a 19-9 advantage, only to have the Matadors use a 7-1 surge to cut it to 20-16. Higgins then blocked Rachel Diaz’s attempt to tip a free ball at the net to jump-start a 3-0 run, capped by Higgins and Emily Maglio blocking Jill Haake for the 23-16 lead.
Down 2-0, the Matadors responded in Set 3 with leads of 5-1 and 8-3. Cieana Stinson had three of her match-high 13 kills to put CSUN in control.
"We came out a little flat and just didn’t move our feet very well," Shoji said. "Once we started moving better, we were OK."
The Wahine took their first lead at 13-12, but the Matadors refused to go away. It was tied three times, the last at 18, before Magill broke away on a rare step-out move to put Hawaii ahead for good at 19-18.
Magill and Nikki Taylor then stuffed Stinson, helping Hawaii to a 4-0 spurt that made the lead 22-18.
Magill led the Wahine with 11 kills and was in on four of the team’s eight blocks. Taylor also had four blocks to go with seven kills.
Hawaii hit a season-high .436 for the match, including .481 in the final set.
The Wahine were scheduled to return home Sunday then head back out on the road Friday. They will be at UC Davis on Nov. 15, the first of four matches in seven days that will conclude the regular season.
