SANTA BARBARA, Calif. » Huge is an understatement.

The fact that No. 12 Hawaii was able to pull out a five-setter on the road against a team that seemingly had the Rainbow Wahine’s number this season was larger than the target Hawaii has worn on its collective back the past few months.

Led by resilient senior hitter Emily Hartong and the ability to put several late questionable calls behind them, the Wahine rallied past UC Santa Barbara 22-25, 25-15, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12, Saturday night in front a raucous crowd of 400 at the Thunderdome.

Hartong put down a match-high 24 kills with 10 digs, and sophomore middle Jade Vorster added nine blocks and 11 kills as Hawaii (20-4, 9-3) kept alive its hopes for part of the conference title.

It was the first five-set win for Hawaii in Big West Conference play. With the hard-fought win, the Wahine also avoided being swept by a conference opponent for the first time since Santa Barbara turned that trick in 1993.

Freshman hitter Nikki Taylor added 15 kills, five in the deciding fifth set as the Wahine snapped UCSB’s eight-match win streak.

The Gauchos (13-9, 8-2), who stunned Hawaii in five last month in Honolulu, were led by Katey Thompson’s 12 kills. Phoebe Grunt was in on 10 of UCSB’s 20 blocks, and Leah Sully had 27 of the team’s 71 digs.

Wahine coach Dave Shoji, slapped with a rare yellow card for arguing a call in Set 4, was visibly relieved.

Had Hawaii lost Saturday night, "it was pretty much over," he said of earning at least a share of the Big West title. "Four losses and we would have been done. This was a big win. When we went to five, it did cross my mind (about losing the last three times it went five). We needed to step it up this time."

Hawaii did, despite struggling with the Gauchos’ tough serving (seven aces). The Wahine saw a 7-4 lead in Set 5 evaporate into a 7-7 tie.

It would be tied three more times, the last at 10. A kill by Vorster, an ace by Sarah Mendoza and a kill by Taylor gave the Wahine the cushion they needed.

Hartong had Hawaii’s final two kills and, at 14-12, the match ended on Thompson’s service error.

"It was a huge win for us," said Hartong, who took 69 swings and finished with 10 digs. "UCSB is a good team and we knew how important this one was for us. We had difficulties on the road the last time (losing in five at UC Davis and Cal State Northridge).

"It was frustrating with some of the calls, but there’s nothing we can do about those. We have to play through it. Now, we still have a few matches to take care of."

Hawaii returns home to host UC Davis on Nov. 22 and Cal State Northridge on Nov. 23. Saturday night, the Matadors (21-4, 11-1) maintained their lead in the Big West standings with a five-set win at Long Beach State.

Shoji downplayed the yellow card, saying he probably overreacted with his prolonged protest.

"It was a very heated match," he said. "With the match on the line, every point is important. In a short Game 5, one or two plays can turn the match.

"I thought several calls could have gone either way. I thought our players responded well at the end. We did have a chance to win Game 3, but it got away. A lot of players came in and did their jobs, made some good plays."

One of those was sophomore defensive specialist Kayla Kawaramura. She had missed three previous serves but kept her final three early in Set 5.

Hawaii finished with a 74-71 edge in digs, with senior libero Ali Longo finishing with 18. Senior setter Mita Uiato added a double-double (45 assists and 12 digs), with Mendoza finishing with 13 digs.

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