Hawaii will put several streaks on the line today at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
After a rocky nonconference schedule, the Rainbow Wahine have claimed nine consecutive sets in a 3-0 start to the Big West women’s volleyball season and won their 14th consecutive conference match with Friday’s sweep of Long Beach State.
They’ll try to extend the run in a matchup with Cal State Fullerton having won all 42 previous meetings with the Titans.
Cal State Fullerton made its strongest bid for a breakthrough in a series that dates back to 1982 in its last visit to Manoa. The Titans won the first two sets in their 2019 trip and led 18-13 in the third, only to see the Wahine rally to win the set, then roll to a five-set victory.
UH went on to win the Big West title with 11 straight victories to close the regular season and the Wahine found their flow early in their title defense.
“I would say we’ve always been really confident but at the start of conference we just needed that rhythm,” UH middle blocker Amber Igiede said after Friday’s match.
Less than two full weekends into the conference season, only two teams remain undefeated in conference play. After UC Santa Barbara protected the zero in the loss column with a four-set win at Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday, Hawaii (6-5, 3-0 Big West) will try to hold serve in today’s 5 p.m. match to close its first Big West homestand of the season.
UH’s current set streak was threatened on Friday when Long Beach State jumped out to a 15-9 lead early and held a 23-20 advantage late.
Igiede’s first kill of the match sparked a 3-0 run to tie the set and she connected with setter Kate Lang to erase LBSU’s shot at set point. After a Beach hitting error, a power-on-power block by Igiede against LBSU’s Kashauna Williams gave UH the set and the Wahine went on to the sweep.
“We had a plan going into Long Beach, so I would just say that we had to reiterate sticking to the plan and once we were consistent with that I think we just flew,” said Igiede, who enters today’s match hitting a team-high .374.
“I don’t think our team looked even that shaky even when they were up three points. We just slid in and won the first set. That was a really big boost for us.”
Hawaii has put together a balanced attack since starting league play and is hitting a collective .356 in three Big West matches with freshman setter Kate Lang running the offense.
Brooke Van Sickle continues to lead the Wahine with 3.97 kills per set after putting away 15 while hitting .324 on Friday. Outside hitter Riley Wagoner added 11 kills on .409 hitting and has helped stabilize UH’s serve receive in the past three matches. She took care of both duties on match point on Friday, popping a pass to Lang, then hammering her final kill of the night.
“Riley’s on another level,” UH coach Robyn Ah Mow said of the sophomore’s recent play. “I just said the other day Riley’s been solid. She’s been hitting, she’s playing defense and passing and blocking.”
Cal State Fullerton (4-6, 1-2) opened the conference schedule by knocking off Cal State Bakersfield and lost to Cal Poly in five sets. The Titans were swept at Long Beach State on Tuesday before heading to Hawaii.
Julia Crawford ranks third in the Big West in kills per set with 3.62, trailing only Williams and Van Sickle.
Crawford also leads the Titans defense with 4.49 digs per set and Cal State Fullerton entered the week with a conference-high 19.19 digs per set, good for fourth in Division I.
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Big West volleyball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Cal State Fullerton (4-6, 1-2) vs. Hawaii (6-5, 3-0)
>> When: Today, 5 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum OC16
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
