Good win. Potentially a bad loss.
A very bad loss.
No. 18 Hawaii (7-0) kept its unbeaten season alive Thursday night by turning back West Virginia, but the Rainbow Wahine lost their kill- and emotional-leader Jolie Rasmussen midway through the match. Rasmussen, a junior hitter, went down with a right ankle injury early in Set 3 of the 18-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-12 victory in the second contest of the 25th Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Challenge.
Rasmussen’s status is unknown for today’s 7 p.m. match with Utah Valley (2-6) at the Stan Sheriff Center. In today’s 4:45 p.m. match, the Mountaineers (4-3) take on UCLA (4-2). The Bruins needed just 73 minutes to sweep Utah Valley, 25-15, 25-20, 25-19.
“Oh, no,” Hawaii coach Robyn Ah Mow said her thought was when Rasmussen went down with the Wahine leading 6-2 in Set 3. “But what can you do? You’re going to have injuries.
>> Photo Gallery: 2019 Outrigger Hotels Volleyball Challenge: West Virginia at Hawaii
“This is a team. We have a lot of girls who can come in and play.”
That included senior hitter McKenna Ross, playing for the first time this season. She and freshman middle Tiffany Westerberg helped turn the momentum in Set 2.
“The great thing is we have a deep bench,” said Ross, who had six kills.
“When you get called on, you’ve just got to be ready to go,” said Westerberg, who also finished with six kills.
A crowd of 3,453 saw Hawaii get career nights from junior hitter Brooke Van Sickle and freshman Amber Igiede, both of whom put down 14 kills and hit over .400 over the 2 hours and 2 minutes. Igiede also was in on six of the Wahine’s 10 blocks, the fifth time they had double-figure blocks; Hawaii had just four all last season.
“Amber had a good night,” Ah Mow said. “Her connection with Norene (senior setter Iosia) is getting better. It’s not at the level we want, but it’s getting better.”
Hawaii’s overall connection in Set 1 was anything but, hitting a season-low .049. The highlight was Iosia’s 99th career ace, putting her alone at No. 10 in the UH record book.
The Wahine found instant offense in Set 2 with the substitutions of Ross and Westerberg. Westerberg accounted for Hawaii’s first four points (three kills and a solo block) and Ross — not medically cleared to play until this week — had four kills in taking control at 16-9.
Rasmussen had just one kill in 10 swings, hitting .000 in Set 1. She had five in Set 2 in helping Hawaii roll at 22-12.
The Wahine’s largest lead — 24-13 — was short-lived. Hawaii needed five set points to even the match, giving up two consecutive aces, before Igiede and freshman hitter Hanna Hellvig teamed to stuff sophomore middle Kristina Jordan.
Hawaii was leading 6-2 when Rasmussen and Mountaineer middle Briana Lynch tangled feet, sending both to the court in pain. The Wahine regrouped, putting freshman Riley Wagoner in for Rasmussen, and pulling away in Set 3.
Rasmussen returned to watch the rest of the match, her ankle iced and elevated.
Extended service runs by both Iosia and Wagoner had Hawaii cruising 20-9 in Set 4. Iosia’s 100th career ace came during her 3-0 serving run that had the Wahine up 24-10.
Katelyn Evans had nine kills for the Mountaineers, who lost their third straight. Lynch was able to walk out of the arena without crutches.
UCLA 3, Utah Valley 0
Junior hitter Mac May (16 kills, 13 digs) and senior hitter Savvy Simo (15 kills, 11 digs) finished with double-doubles in the Bruins’ first meeting with the Wolverines.
Sophomore hitter Kazna Tarawhiti led Utah Valley with 10 kills. Senior middle Jasmine Niutupuivaha (Kahuku) added five kills and was in on four of the team’s six blocks.
25TH OUTRIGGER HOTELS & RESORTS CHALLENGE
Stan Sheriff Center
Thursday
UCLA def. Utah Valley, 25-15, 25-20, 25-19
No. 18 Hawaii def. West Virginia, 18-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-12
Friday
UCLA (4-2) vs. West Virginia (4-3), 4:45 p.m.
Utah Valley (2-6) at No. 18 Hawaii (7-0), 7 p.m.
Saturday
West Virginia vs. Utah Valley, 4 p.m.
UCLA at No. 18 Hawaii, 7 p.m.
TV: Spectrum Ch. 16/1016 (Hawaii matches only)
Radio: 1420-AM/92.7-FM (Hawaii matches only)
