Box Score Box Score

HONOLULU - The No. 2 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine (31-1) defeated the Western Kentucky Lady Toppers (33-5) 30-18, 30-25 and 30-21, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, in front of a crowd of 6,099 at the Stan Sheriff Center Thursday.

Lily Kahumoku led the team with 17 kills, eight digs and three blocks. Maja Gustin added nine kills, six blocks and a .562 hitting percentage while Kim Willoughby had 11 kills, four aces, seven digs and four blocks. Lauren Duggins also played well, hitting .571 with eight kills, five digs and six blocks. Melissa Villaroman continued her solid play in the back row, adding 13 digs.

The Lady Toppers looked primed for the upset early on, jumping out to a 6-1 lead on four UH hitting errors. Hawai`i battled back behind the serving of Willoughby, as she picked up two big aces to pull them back into the game at 7-6. Hedder Ilustre then got the serve with the game tied at nine and served eight straight points to put the Rainbows up 17-9. From there the two teams kept trading points before a block by Willoughby and Duggins ended the first game 30-18.

Western Kentucky kept it tight in game two as UH could never get their lead higher than five points. The Lady Toppers cut the UH to 23-21 late but a triple block by Kahumoku, Nohealani Tano and Duggins ended game two 30-25.

UH held the lead throughout the third game then ran away late as three blocks by Gustin highlighted a 5-0 run that put them up 24-16. The Lady Toppers would fight back, but it wasn't enough as two blocks by Duggins ended the match for Hawai`i with a 30-21 win in the third game.

The Rainbow Wahine will now advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament where they will face Washington, who defeated Colorado State in four games earlier, at 7 p.m. tomorrow. The Huskies and the Rainbows faced each other earlier in the season with UH beating UW in four game in the championship match of the Aston Imua Wahine Challenge.