Box Score Box Score

HONOLULU – The No. 2 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine (20-1) survived a late onslaught from the Arizona Wildcats (9-11) to win 30-24, 30-26, 22-30, 30-27 and 15-13 in front of a crowd of 7,366 at the Stan Sheriff Center Sunday.

Kim Willoughby led the way for the Rainbow Wahine, putting away 33 kills, 14 digs and three blocks. Lily Kahumoku toughed out a 17-kill, 16-dig performance while Lauren Duggins had seven kills, nine digs and eight blocks. Maja Gustin would also add seven kills and eight digs, while Kanoe Kamana`o ended the match with 59 assists, 11 digs, three kills and three blocks.

Game one would start out close as neither team could get a lead of more than two points going into the first timeout. But Hawai`i would finally go on a run at 20-17, reeling off four big point to take their lead to 24-17. The Wildcats couldn't answer back as UH took game one 30-24.

Arizona would keep it tight again to start game two as the Rainbow Wahine took a slight 15-12 lead into the media timeout. UH would grab a four-point lead at 20-16 to force a U of A timeout before the Wildcats roared back with a 5-1 run to tie the game at 21. But that would be Arizona's last chance as Willoughby would put away her 15th kill to take game two 30-26.

Game three would again be tight as the Wildcats would go up 15-12, forcing a UH timeout. The Rainbow Wahine would fight back, getting within one point of the Wildcats on three different occasions. But a big 6-0 run on the serve of Bre Ladd would stifle Hawai`i and give Arizona a 27-21 advantage. UH would get another point before three straight Wildcat blocks put game three away, 30-22. The Arizona win ended a 33-game winning-streak for the Rainbow Wahine.

The Rainbow Wahine would go up 8-7 early in game four before three straight blocks sparked at 5-0 run to put U of A up 12-8. Hawai`i would get back within a point at 12-11 on a Nohealani Tano kill before Abernathy served four straight to extend the advantage to 16-11. Arizona would get it up to 21-14 before UH would again start to battle back, cutting the deficit to 24-21, 27-25 and 28-26. But Kim Glass would prove too much, getting U of A to game point before Jennifer Abernathy put it away 30-27.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 3-1 lead early in the deciding fifth game. The Rainbow Wahine would fight back, keeping it tight before running off three straight point to take an 8-6 lead. Arizona would score two straight points to tie it up at eight before a Kahumoku kill and a block solo by Duggins would give UH the 10-8 advantage. The Wildcats would grab another point before UH ran off three straight, on three Willoughby kills to go up 13-9. Arizona's Abernathy would get a kill and an ace to cut the deficit to 13-11. Willoughby would then get Hawai`i to match point before Glass added two kills to cut it to 14-13. But Willoughby would have the last say, putting away her 33rd kill to give UH the 15-13 game five victory.

UH will now head on their furthest road trip of the season. They will first go to Houston for a WAC match with the Rice Owls on Thursday, Oct. 23. The Rainbow Wahine will then play Louisiana State in Baton Rouge on Friday, Oct. 24 before heading to Tulsa, Okla., to play the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Saturday, Oct. 25.

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