The aggressiveness on defense has been a can waiting to be opened. At least that is how Hawaii volleyball coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos has seen it in senior libero Tita Akiu.

“I love her aggressiveness — we’ve been waiting for it, and she’s doing it now,” Ah Mow-Santos said after Akiu had 22 digs in Sunday’s victory over San Diego State. “She can get more.”

Still, Akiu’s 70 digs was enough to earn her the Big West’s defensive player of the week honor on Monday, the first honor from the conference for a Rainbow Wahine this season. The Kamehameha product averaged 5.38 digs per set as Hawaii finished 2-1 at the Outrigger Volleyball Challenge.

Akiu also picked up all-tournament honors, leading the four-team event in digs as Hawaii finished second. The 5-foot-3 transfer from Texas Tech had 22 digs in Thursday’s win over Idaho — her best in her first season as a Wahine — then bettered that with 26 in a loss to Portland on Friday.

Akiu also had seven assists and two aces in the three matches. With Hawaii moving to a two-person serve-receive, Akiu is now passing about 70 percent of the court, something “I enjoy doing,” she said. “I like the responsibility.”

Hawaii junior middle Natasha Burns, also an all-tournament selection, was nominated for the Big West’s player of the week. That award went to Cal Poly junior hitter Torrey Van Winden, who had 44 kills and 21 digs as the then-No. 22 Mustangs upset then-No. 9 UCLA twice.

In Monday’s AVCA Top 25, Cal Poly (7-1) moved up to No. 14, while UCLA (4-2) fell into a tie for 16th. Oregon (5-3), Hawaii’s opponent Thursday and Friday, moved from 18th to 12th, following the Ducks’ upset of then-No. 1 Minnesota last week.

Brigham Young (8-0) moved up two spots to No. 1, receiving 54 first-place votes. Stanford (6-1) also moved up two spots to No. 2, receiving the remaining 10 votes.