Senior hitter McKenna Granato put down 24 kills and junior hitter McKenna Ross came off the bench for a career-high 11 kills as Hawaii avoided losing to UC Irvine for the first time in 39 meetings today, completing a reverse sweep when pulling out a 23-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-10, 15-11 Big West volleyball victory at Irvine, Calif.

Granato added 15 digs along with a career-high five aces for the Rainbow Wahine (6-5, 2-0 Big West), winning a five-setter for the first time in three tries this season. Senior hitter Casey Castillo, moving from left-side to right-side hitter in the middle of the match, added 13 kills. Junior setter-hitter Norene Iosia had her eighth double-double of the year (24 assists-21 digs), senior libero Tita Akiu had 23 digs and sophomore defensive specialist tied her career high with 11 digs.

The Wahine finished with 99 digs, the most since 104 when rallying past the Anteaters also at the Bren Center on Oct. 31, 2014.

For the Anteaters (7-7, 1-1), senior opposite Harlee Kekauoha and freshman hitter Abby Marjama each had 15 kills. Senior libero Haley DeSales had 23 digs and sophomore middle Idara Akpakpa was in on nine of UCI’s 15 blocks.

Hawaii had just six blocks, but the one that counted was when Ross and junior middle Natasha Burns stuffed sophomore hitter Loryn Carter to end it after an hour and 44 minutes. It snapped the Anteaters’ four-match winning streak.

Hawaii was poised to even the match when leading by as much as 6-1 and 14-6 in Set 2. UCI Irvine played a success catch-up game, rallying to tie at 20 and 21. The Anteaters took their first lead at 23-21 on the first of three straight kills by sophomore hitter Carter, UCI closing it out 3-1 to take a 2-0 lead.

Earlier this season, the Wahine dropped five-setters at home to Kansas State and Oregon. Hawaii returns home to host Cal State Fullerton (6-9, 0-3) on Friday and UC Riverside (5-9, 0-3) on Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center.