Caylen Alexander had to carry the load offensively once again, but it took a team effort to avoid a fifth set nobody on the Hawaii women’s volleyball team wanted.

Alexander, who began the week third in the nation with 5.10 kills per set, increased that number averaging seven per set with 51 total swings, but everyone contributed to a match-ending 12-5 run that saw the Rainbow Wahine close out Cal State Bakersfield 28-26, 25-15, 18-25, 25-21 on Tuesday at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, Calif.

Alexander did it all once again, hitting .431 while also leading four Rainbow Wahine in double figures with 14 digs to help UH score an important win, improving to 12-7 overall and 6-3 in the Big West.

With UC Davis the only team that hasn’t lost at least twice so far in conference play, it was imperative UH avoid another setback if it wants to compete for one of the two seeded byes in the conference tournament next month.

Hawaii was closing in on its fifth sweep in conference play when the Roadrunners extended the match with a 12-2 run to end the third set.

CSU Bakersfield was ahead 16-13 in the fourth set when Hawaii stepped up, scoring 12 of the final 17 points.

“I was hoping they would (close it out),” Hawaii coach Robyn Ah Mow said. “I didn’t want a fifth (set). I’m glad we’re going home 2-1 and not 1-2 and then I think the message I gave them is just, you’ve got to start to have some discipline in all aspects of what you guys are doing.”

Alexander had an ace and two kills, including the last one on match point, to close out the run, but got help from everyone else on the court.

Sophomore Stella Adeyemi had two important kills, freshman Miliana Sylvester was in on two critical blocks, senior setter Kate Lang had an important dump kill and freshman Adrianna Arquette even came in for two important serves that all made a difference.

Lang, who finished with a match-high 52 assists and 12 digs, became the fifth Rainbow Wahine all-time to surpass 4,000 career assists.

Senior Tayli Ikenaga added 11 digs, freshman Victoria Leyva had 10 and junior middle Jacyn Bamis hit .500 with 12 kills and a solo block for one of seven for UH, which outblocked the Roadrunners 7-3.

Alexander surpassed 1,000 career kills in the match.

CSU Bakersfield (9-12, 3-6) finished with nine aces after tallying five in a competitive first set that went extra points.

Alexander had three of Hawaii’s six aces, including one on UH’s third set point that hit the top of the net and trickled over onto the Roadrunners’ side to put UH in front.

Both teams hit better than .300 in the first set and Hawaii pulled it out led by Alexander’s nine kills. Hawaii hit .317 for the match.

Sophomore Nene Hawkins, a Le Jardin alumna, had a team-high 21 assists while splitting time setting with Vivianna Samaniego, who had 18 assists.

“They are a very good serving team,” Ah Mow said. “I don’t now what they were ranked, but they serve tough.”

UH improved to 9-0 all-time against the Roadrunners and returns home to play Cal State Northridge (7-12, 2-6) on Sunday.