Robyn Ah Mow knows her way around cake. Twenty-five years ago, Hawaii’s then-sophomore setter helped cap the opening night of the Special Events Arena by making sure coach Dave Shoji had his cake and ate it too … some of it smashed in his face.
Some things have changed since 1994. It’s now the Stan Sheriff Center and Ah Mow is in her third season as the head coach of the Rainbow Wahine.
And something else. Ah Mow now is 2-for-2 on cake facials, sidestepping the one attempted by Norene Iosia and giving her senior setter a big helping of the white cake with strawberry cream filling.
It was just the icing on the 25th anniversary celebration Sunday for No 22 Hawaii, which pulled a reverse sweep on UC Davis. It was the third of four Big West volleyball matches that went five and the second that the Wahine staved off disaster.
Led by freshman hitter Hanna Hellvig’s 16 kills and the energizing return of junior Brooke Van Sickle in Set 3, Hawaii prevented UC Davis from its first win in Honolulu in nine visits. As 5,172 watched for 2 hours and 38 minutes, the Wahine held on for a 22-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-12 victory.
Senior hitter McKenna Ross and junior middle Sky Williams had 10 kills each for Hawaii (16-3, 6-2), which is a half-game behind conference co-leaders Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara. Williams was in on five of the team’s blocks and Iosia came within one dig and one kill from a triple-double by finishing with 23 assists, nine kills and nine digs.
“It such an honor to be part of this,” Ross said. “It’s an amazing environment.”
UC Davis coach Dan Conners, his team falling to 12-8 and 4-3, agreed. When asked if the home court made the difference, he replied: “You heard it.
“It was a fun match to be a part of.”
The Aggies had gone to a fifth set in their previous three matches and, until Van Sickle was inserted, it appeared unlikely that there would be a fourth five-setter for Davis. Van Sickle, who had missed the past four matches, had a perfect serve-reception on the first ball she touched to open Set 3; she finished with seven kills, eight digs and two very critical aces.
“It was good to have her back on the court,” Ah Mow said of Van Sickle. “This team … that’s what they do. They stuck together.
“Was I worried? No.”
Perhaps there were no worries, but there was plenty of drama, particularly in Set 5. Hawaii spotted Davis a 2-0 lead but rallied behind the serving of Van Sickle, whose second ace helped the Wahine jump out 5-2.
A video replay challenge and a controversial call that went against Hawaii turned an 8-6 margin into an 8-8 tie. The Wahine led 9-8 but the Aggies answered with a 3-0 run, their ninth block giving them what would be their last lead. Freshman middle Amber Igiede’s sixth kill set off Hawaii’s own 3-0 spurt, which included an ace by Iosia that put her at No. 8 on the UH career list (118).
Davis senior hitter Laura Matias, the reigning Big West player of the week, put down her 15th kill to tie it for the sixth time. The Aggies didn’t score again with kills by Van Sickle and Ross, and a hitting error by sophomore opposite Leonie Strehl ending it … eventually.
Davis challenged that there was a touch on Strehl’s attack. The challenge was denied, setting off what became a mini-food fight with pieces of cake traded between the Wahine coaching staff and players.
Junior hitter Mahalia White finished with a match-high 17 kills for the Aggies, who got 18 digs from freshman libero Shira Lahav.
“I’m real excited to be back,” said Van Sickle, who was injured during the five-set loss to UC Irvine on Oct. 4. “I’m glad I could help.”
With Van Sickle in on the left, Hellvig moved to the right. The Swedish national struggled with seven hitting errors through three sets.
Hellvig had a combined eight kills on 12 swings with no errors in the final two sets.
“We had a good plan for her on the left,” Conners said. “We didn’t have one for her on the right.”
Hawaii is next on the road at Cal State Fullerton on Friday and UC Irvine on Saturday. The Wahine are back home for matches that likely will decide the conference title: against UC Santa Barbara Nov. 1 and Cal Poly Nov. 3.
