Box Score Box Score

HONOLULU - The No. 2 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine (21-1, 8-0 WAC) extended their WAC winning streak to 73 matches with a win over the Rice Owls (13-9, 4-4 WAC) 30-19, 30-25 and 30-22 in front of a crowd of 711 at Autry Court Thursday.

Kim Willoughby led the way for the Rainbow Wahine, putting away 19 kills, 11 digs and three blocks. Alicia Arnott added 10 kills and eight digs while Nohealani Tano had nine kills and a .727 hitting percentage, including going seven for her first seven. Maja Gustin would also add eight kills and five blocks, while Kanoe Kamana`o ended the match with 52 assists and seven digs. Lauren Duggins would hit .545 with six kills, five digs and three blocks.

Rice kept it close early on in the first game, holding the Rainbow Wahine to a 7-6 advantage. But UH then responded with a 5-1 run to give Hawai`i a 12-7 lead. The Rainbow Wahine continued to roll throughout game one, taking it 30-19. The diversified Hawai`i offense had Willoughby leading with seven kills, Gustin and Duggins adding four kills and Boogaard adding three kills while Tano hit a perfect 5-for-5.

Hawai`i would open the second game with a 4-1 lead on two big blocks by Gustin. The Owls would keep fighting, cutting it down to 11-10 before earning the tie at 12-12. Rice would continue to keep it tight, keeping it at 22-21 to force UH coach Dave Shoji to take a timeout. The Owls would then tie it at 22 before UH reeled off three straight to go up 25-22. Hawai`i would then go on to run away with it as Willoughby's 14th kill gave the Rainbow Wahine the 30-25 game two victory.

The Owls opened up game three with a 4-2 advantage before a 5-1 run put UH up 7-5 to force a Rice timeout. Hawai`i would continue to roll, as Willougby would put away two straight aces to put the Rainbow Wahine up 17-9. They would get it to 20-10 before a 4-0 Rice run would cut the deficit to 20-14. But the Owls wouldn't have enough as UH would end it 30-22 on a kill by Karin Lundqvist.

Hawai`i will now bus it over to Baton Rouge for a match vs. Louisiana State tomorrow at 7 p.m. (2 p.m. Hawai`i). The Rainbow Wahine will then play at Tulsa on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. (2 p.m. Hawai`i) before heading home on Sunday, Oct. 24.

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