Hawaii dug itself out of early deficits in all three sets and swept Cal State Bakersfield 25-18, 25-20, 25-18 in a women’s volleyball match tonight at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Rainbow Wahine (8-0, 11-5 overall) are now alone atop the Big West standings with their 19th consecutive conference victory dating back to the 2019 season (there was no season in 2020). UC Santa Barbara lost today to fall to 7-1 in the conference.

The Roadrunners fell to 3-5 and 10-6. UH also swept conference contender Cal Poly on Friday.

Brooke Van Sickle started slowly on offense, but finished tied for match-high with 10 kills with Amber Igiede.

The Roadrunners got off to a 7-1 lead in the first set. After a Hawaii timeout, Tayli Ikenaga served five points in a row, Martyna Leoniak boosted the Wahine off the bench with three kills, and UH took a 12-8 lead. Hawaii steadily pulled away, and Igiede closed out the first set with her fifth and sixth kills.

The pattern continued in the second set, with Bakersfield scoring the first six points. Hawaii tied it at 15-all on a combo block by Igiede and Leoniak. After five more ties, UH scored six of the last seven points, with Leoniak’s fifth kill of the match giving Hawaii the 2-0 lead in sets.

The visitors did not start out as fast in the third set, but the Wahine did not lead it until Van Sickle and Igiede combined for a block to make it 14-13. The Roadrunners regained the lead at 17-15, but Van Sickle took control from there with four kills down the stretch. She served match point that ended with Skyler Williams’ ninth kill.

Leoniak and Riley Wagoner both added 8 kills. Milica Vukobrat led the Roadrunners with nine.

This was likely the last Hawaii home match with no spectators allowed because of the coronavirus. A limited number of fans will be allowed to attend the next home match, Oct. 29 against UC Davis.