Molokai’s Kalei Adolpho gave 11th-ranked Hawaii a much-needed lift in the altitude Saturday, helping the Rainbow Wahine defeat Utah State 21-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-20 in Western Athletic Conference volleyball.

The freshman replaced third-team All-American Brittany Hewitt, suffering from back spasms and illness, in the second set. Adolpho collected eight stuffs and went 7-for-8 offensively in Logan’s 4,465-foot altitude.

"Kalei really did a nice job," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "It wasn’t surprising, but maybe it was unexpected. She has the ability, she just doesn’t have the experience. She blocked well and actually hit pretty well."

UH (12-1, 2-0 WAC) brings a seven-match winning streak home for matches against Nevada on Thursday and Fresno State on Saturday.

Saturday’s afternoon match was watched by a Smith Spectrum crowd of 629 who got in free because it is homecoming weekend at Utah State (6-9, 1-1).

Adolpho’s performance complemented another remarkable match by Kanani Danielson. The three-time All-American, who Thursday became the seventh Wahine with 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, hit .450 and had a career-high eight stuffs.

The only time the Aggies — ranked second nationally in blocking — stopped her was late in the final set. Danielson had 19 kills and 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.

Hawaii out-blocked USU 191⁄2 to 71⁄2. It was a stark contrast to the last time the teams played, when Utah State swept Hawaii last November to capture its first WAC championship.

The Aggies lost four seniors off that team and had two starters injured the past two days. Both teams played with first-year starters at setter — USU switched in the third — and in the middle.

Hawaii held 15-10 leads in the first two sets. They ended very differently.

The Aggies dominated the end of Set 1, with Hewitt and freshman Jane Croson having more hitting errors than kills, and Shay Sorensen shredding the UH block.

Sorensen had just six more kills in the match. Liz McArthur, the Aggies’ only senior, ended with 16, but had 15 hitting errors.

The Wahine took over in the second, with Adolpho’s three blocks and three kills stretching their advantage. Hawaii got 12 of its blocks in the final two sets.

Croson continued to struggle. She got her fourth straight double-double (14 kills, 12 digs), but hit for a zero percentage with 14 attack errors.

"It’s another match to learn from," Shoji said. "The thing is, she doesn’t back down. She just challenges the block all the time. We know she will get blocked, but she will get kills too."

Senior Alex Griffiths came in at libero for the final two sets and collected 12 digs. Shoji confirmed that positions are still open.

"We have to keep tweaking it and get the most out of our players," he said. "If we’re not good enough we’ve got to look to maybe make a change. We’re winning matches, but not dominating the way we should."

Two wins on their first road trip stretched the Wahine’s (regular-season) conference winning streak to 43, best in the nation.

"Any time you win on the road it’s a good thing," Shoji said. "I guess we’re used to winning easier, but we’ve got some young players out there, so it becomes more of a struggle."