Hawaii freshman Caylen Alexander put away 15 kills without an error and the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team swept UC Riverside 25-17, 25-23, 25-13 in tonight’s Big West match at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbow Wahine (5-5, 2-0 Big West) reached .500 overall for the first time this season and remained undefeated in the all-time series with UC Riverside at 29-0.
UH saw its run of consecutive sets won against UCR threatened in the second set when the Highlanders opened up a 17-9 lead. But Alexander helped spark a Wahine rally and UH closed with a 3-0 run to take the set, then took control of the third with a 12-1 surge.
Alexander hit .556 in her team-high 27 attempts. Middle blocker Amber Igiede also had an error-free night with 12 kills in 21 swings. Outside hitter Riley Wagoner posted her second straight double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs.
UH hit a season-high .414 to UCR’s .133 and the Wahine defense delivered 60 digs to UCR’s 35. Hawaii was led by Tayli Ikenaga’s 17.
UH has won 27 consecutive sets against the Highlanders, dating back to a reverse sweep on Sept. 30, 2017, in Riverside, Calif. UCR has taken just three sets against UH in 18 meetings since the Wahine re-joined the Big West in 2012.
After completing a seven-match homestand, the Wahine embark on their first Big West road trip of the season. They’ll play at Cal State Fullerton (7-3, 1-1) on Friday and then visit the Walter Pyramid to face Long Beach State (6-4, 1-1) on Saturday.
>> PHOTOS: Hawaii vs. UC Riverside
UH opened the match with an 8-2 run and closed the 23-minute first set with a 6-1 surge capped by a block by Igiede and Wagoner. The Highlanders’ closed to 18-15 with a three-point run with a block, a two-handed kill that setter Tayler Hifo pushed into the back corner and an ace. But UH pulled away again, with Tiffany Westerberg’s kill in the middle sparking the closing run.
The Wahine took a 3-1 lead in the second set before play turned ragged and UCR put together a five-point run to take its first lead of the night. The lead swelled to 16-8 after Hifo served UCR’s third ace of the set and Delaney Tate put away a kill. The Wahine charged back into the set with an 8-1 run, with Alexander contributing three kills, and she later added an ace to tie it at 21-21. UCR took the lead two more times, but the Wahine closed the set with a 3-0 run on Igiede’s tip block and back-to-back Wagoner kills.
UCR took a 5-1 lead in the third set with University High alumna Makena Tong on the service line, but UH took control with the 12-1 run with Alexander hammering five kills during Igiede’s eight-point service turn. The Wahine maintained control from there to complete the sweep.
