Box Score Box Score

HONOLULU – The No. 5 University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine volleyball team fell to No. 7 UCLA 30-25, 30-25 and 30-24 in the final match of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic. The match was seen by 7,723 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center.

In the loss, Maja Gustin turned in one of her best performances of her career, notching 13 kills and no errors on 18 attacks for a career-high .722 hitting percentage. Kim Willoughby (16 kills, 10 digs) and Tanja Nikolic (13 kills, 11 digs) again had double-double nights. Lauren Duggins (10 digs) and Melissa Villaroman (12 digs) also helped the Wahine as both had career-high nights in the dig department.

The two teams spent much of the first game feeling each other out as neither team could get the lead higher then two points as the Bruins leading 15-13 at the media timeout. The UCLA lead continued to stay within three points until they reeled off four straight points to take the game 30-25.

UCLA continued to roll in game 2, jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead. The Wahine then fell back 6-2 before taking three straight points to cut the lead to 6-5. After giving up a Bruin point, Hawaii went on a 4-0 run to take the lead at 9-7 off two big Gustin kills. Gustin then whacked two more kills to extend the UH lead to 11-8. The Bruins went on a little 3-0 run of their own to tie the match at 11. The game stayed tight until UCLA went on a 6-1 run to take the lead at 28-23 before taking the game 30-25.

Hawaii again sputtered in game 3, falling back 4-1 and 10-6. The Wahine fell back by as many as eight points before cutting the lead down to 24-22. But the Bruins didn't want to go to a fourth game as they took game 3, 30-24, to win the match.

UCLA was led by All-American Kristee Porter, who notched a match-high 25 kills and 14 digs. During the match, Porter reached the 2,000 kill plateau (she's now at 2,001) and is just five digs shy of her 1,000th dig.

Hawaii will host now host the Aston's Imua Wahine Challenge, running from Thursday, September 6 to Saturday, September 8. The Wahine will start the Imua Challenge with a 7:00 p.m. match against Utah State. Also in the challenge are Cincinnati and the University of Southern California, who will face each other in the 5:00 p.m. match Thursday night.

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2001 HAL Wahine Classic All-Tournament Team

Liz Wegner, Kansas State

Erin Moore, Michigan

Ashley Bowles, UCLA

Lauren Fendrick, UCLA

Margaret Vakasausau, Hawaii

Kim Willoughby, Hawaii

Kristee Porter, UCLA (MVP)