Hawaii beats Cal Poly to take Big West volleyball lead

Brooke Van Sickle had no history with Cal Poly. Due to injury, the junior transfer missed last month’s trip to San Luis Obispo, Calif., one that had the Mustangs sweeping the Rainbow Wahine for the first time since the series began in 1980.

Van Sickle knew two things, though: Cal Poly was the two-time defending Big West volleyball champion and Hawaii’s hopes of reclaiming the title hinged on winning Sunday’s match.

Although Wahine coach Robyn Ah Mow called it a team victory, Van Sickle played a big part in No. 21 Hawaii taking over first place in the standings. At the end of 2 hours and 14 minutes, she had her third double-double and the Wahine had won their seventh straight, 25-15, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, in front of a Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 5,874.

>> Photo Gallery: Cal Poly vs. Hawaii

“I was super stoked getting to play them,” said Van Sickle, finishing with 12 kills and 11 digs in her first start since Sept. 27. “They’re our rival. This was going to be fun.”

It is the 40th 20-win season for Hawaii (20-3, 10-2), which has a half-game lead over Cal Poly (16-7, 9-2) and UC Santa Barbara (19-3, 9-2). The Mustangs put their 29-match home win streak on the line Saturday against the Gauchos; UCSB swept Cal Poly last month.

Hawaii outlasted UCSB on Friday, earning the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Gauchos. That comes into play as well if the Wahine tie with the Mustangs; since the teams split, the first tiebreaker is results against common opponents beginning at the top of the standings, which would be the two wins over UCSB.

Hawaii likely needs to win out to earn at least a share of the championship. The Wahine are at UC Davis (13-11, 5-6) on Friday and UC Riverside (5-17, 1-10) on Sunday then finish the regular season at home against Cal State Northridge (10-13, 5-6) on Nov. 21 and Long Beach State (8-15, 5-6) on Nov. 22.

For the second match in a row, Hawaii saw one of the conference’s top kill leaders. On Friday, it was No. 2 Lindsey Ruddins, who had 27 kills; on Sunday, it was No. 1 junior hitter Maia Dvoracek, who had 29 kills but had no teammate with more than six.

Hawaii had more balance. Freshman hitter Hanna Hellvig had a team-high 13 kills, and senior hitter McKenna Ross added 10 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the year. Senior setter/hitter Norene Iosia had her 15th (25 assists, 15 digs).

“It’s a great feeling,” Ross said. “It was a huge weekend against the two top teams in the conference.

“Brooke had a huge impact, more than getting a bunch of kills.”

First-year Cal Poly coach Caroline Walters agreed.

“I think she brings a good chunk of confidence and energy to that team,” Walters said of Van Sickle. “Her ability to pass the ball is incredibly high, and to be out for that long (four matches) and not getting in match reps is a testament to the kind of volleyball player that she is. She’s a wonderful all-around volleyball player.”

Van Sickle was instant offense, setting the tone early with five kills in Set 1. The Wahine had just five blocks when they were swept by the Mustangs last month; they had four in the opening 24 minutes.

Cal Poly more than rebounded in Set 2. Hawaii never led, tying it six times, the last at 7-7. Cal Poly, outblocked 4-0 in Set 1, returned the favor, outblocking Hawaii 4-0, the last with a stuff of Van Sickle to end it, her first hitting error of the night.

Momentum again changed sides in Set 3 as Hawaii jumped out 12-6. Mustangs sophomore libero Lea Unger, behind Iosia in aces, had two in a row to pull Cal Poly to 12-10.

Hawaii held, rolling out to a 17-12 lead and then holding on after Cal Poly closed to 24-20.

The Wahine never trailed in Set 4 but had plenty of anxious moments when the Mustangs tied it at 21 and pulled to 24-23 on what would be Dvoracek’s last kill.

It ended unconventionally when junior middle Madilyn Mercer was called for an overreach, running Hawaii’s record in four-setters to 8-0.

“It’s a good ‘W,’ ” Ah Mow said. “It’s a good team win. It wasn’t one person. Everybody did their job and they listened.

“Obviously, it’s hard to play here (in the Sheriff Center). The crowd is like our seventh man. We’ll enjoy this for a little while, but we still have work to do.”

Hawaii, which was out-dug 51-40 in the loss at Cal Poly, finished with a 63-48 edge on Sunday. Four Wahine were in double-digit digs: Iosia (15), Van Sickle (11), Ross (10) and libero Rika Okino (10).

Hawaii also won the block battle 9-7, with freshman Amber Igiede in on six and Hellvig five.