Hawaii’s last volleyball gasp was too much for Idaho on Sunday, as the eighth-ranked Rainbow Wahine refused to let the Vandals steal a set in a 25-23, 25-22, 25-23 sweep.

Before a Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 4,309, Hawaii (21-1) ran its winning streak to 16. UH has also won its last 50 Western Athletic Conference regular-season matches, the longest active streak in the country.

None of it was easy against the Vandals.

"Hawaii probably didn’t play its best, but the difference between being good and being great is they know how to win," said Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan. "They’re used to winning, used to finishing matches. As much as we were doing some good things, I don’t think we came out to finish those games. That’s where we made our errors."

Idaho (11-11, 5-4 WAC) got 29 of its 38 kills from outside hitters Alicia Milo (19) and Allison Walker (10), who did not play in Friday’s five-set loss at San Jose State.

It got little else in the way of offense, but compensated with 42 digs — 11 from libero Cassie Hamilton — and 10 blocks — eight from Alex Sele.

"It was pretty much the same scenario in all three games," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "We made the plays, but they played well. They had two outside hitters we didn’t slow down enough."

Hawaii tried, flipping through lineups so quickly that Shoji had to call timeout once just to figure it out. He is prepared to pull the trigger quickly the rest of the season to give his team the options it has to have.

"This is the way it is," he said. "I think we have enough versatility to have people come in during the course of the match and help the team in a position they are comfortable in. Matches don’t always go the way you want them to go."

After missing Friday’s match with the flu, Kanani Danielson came back with another double-double (11 kills and 12 digs). Brittany Hewitt rallied from her offensive slump with nine kills on .500 hitting, and Emily Hartong dropped 13 kills while playing three positions.

They all know how the team has to get better because "super-scrappy" Idaho — Hewitt’s characterization — showed them.

"I think the difference is our determination, we know the power we have," Hewitt added. "It’s just us waking up. I’d like to have a 10-point cushion in every set, but they were playing too well."

The Wahine also got solid matches from setter Mita Uiato and freshman libero Elizabeth Blake, and just enough offense from everyone else in their fourth match in seven nights.

"We’re a tired team right now," Shoji said. "And we have to get on a plane tomorrow. If we can get through this stretch, then we’ll be OK because we can rest in November."

The opening set was tied at 23 before Idaho missed a serve and Hewitt and Kaela Goodman stuffed Walker for the first time. Hartong (four kills) and Hewitt (three) hit a combined .700 in that set.

Idaho led 20-16 in the second. The Wahine tied it, with Uiato turning a bad pass into a kill, Milo hitting into the net — she had eight of her kills in the set — and Danielson crushing two balls.

It was tied for the ninth and last time at 22, on Hewitt’s kill. Jane Croson scored on Danielson’s bump set and Hewitt aced the final point.

"Game 2 was just Kanani making some pretty amazing plays to keep us in it," Shoji said. "But that’s what we’ve got to have at the end of games."

There were 13 ties in the third before Hawaii scored three of the last four. Croson and Hartong’s kills got the Wahine to 24. After Milo’s last kill, Croson made a perfect pass to Uiato, then got the ball back and buried it down the line to end it after 1 hour and 43 minutes.

The kill put Croson in positive hitting numbers (.032 with nine kills and eight errors) for the first time all match.

Hawaii leaves today for a three-match road trip, starting at San Jose State on Tuesday. It plays at Fresno State on Thursday and Nevada on Saturday.

The Wahine’s final regular-season WAC matches are at home, against Louisiana Tech (Nov. 10) and second-place New Mexico State (Nov. 12).

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