Eighth-ranked Hawaii thawed after an ice cold start to defeat Cal State Fullerton, 23-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-19 on Thursday before 4,434 at Stan Sheriff Center.

The Rainbow Wahine (25-2) are 17-0 in their return to the Big West Conference. They can become the first Big West volleyball team in 10 years to go unbeaten if they defeat UC Riverside in Friday’s final regular-season match.

Hawaii hit .108 in an awful opening set. The Titans (15-15, 9-8) scored the last two points to win it, getting eight kills from Kayla Neto and a 6-for-6 performance from Torrie Brown.

The Wahine roared back, scoring 12 of the first 14 points in Set 2 and stuffing six balls. They broke away in the third after a missed call and got seven kills from Kalei Adolpho, who averages 1.5. An 11-4 surge early in the fourth was all the separation UH needed to end it.

Emily Hartong was again stellar for Hawaii. She had a match-high 23 kills while libero Ali Longo contributed four aces and 14 digs and Jade Vorster was in on seven blocks.

Neto, second in conference kills to Hartong, finished with 16.

The Wahine extended their NCAA-best regular-season conference win streak to 72. They have won their last 18 overall.