Box Score Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. - The No. 12 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (28-5) defeated the Long Beach State 49ers (26-6) 30-28, 30-25, 24-30 and 30-17 in the NCAA Second Round at the Pyramid Saturday, advancing to their ninth-straight NCAA Regional.

Sarah Mason led the way for UH with 24 kills and 16 digs. Jamie Houston added 19 kills, nine digs and five blocks while Kanoe Kamana`o had a great all-around match, posting 58 assists, 12 digs and a match-high seven blocks. Juliana Sanders had eight kills and seven blocks while Jayme Lee ended the night with 14 digs.

Hawai`i jumped out ahead 4-1 on two-straight kills by Mason, forcing an early timeout by LBSU coach Brian Gimmillaro. The Beach responded, scoring four in a row to take a 5-4 edge. The two teams traded small runs before a 6-2 spurt gave UH a 22-19 advantage, forcing another Beach timeout. A big kill by Mason got the Rainbow Wahine to their first game point at 29-25, only to see two kills by Mariko Crum and a UH hitting error get the 49ers back within one at 29-28. But Mason came up with her ninth kill of the game to end it 30-28.

The Rainbow Wahine again jumped ahead early in the second game, scoring the first four points. Long Beach State responded later with a 6-0 run, taking the lead at 8-6. The Beach held that slight lead for a while until a big 4-0 run, capped by a Kari Gregory ace, put UH ahead 16-14. After trading sideouts for a while, Hawai`i came up with a 6-1 run, getting them to game point at 29-23. LBSU held off a couple game points before another Mason kill put it away, 30-25.

The Beach came out firing in game three, going ahead 10-8 on an ace by Mariko Crum. A four-point run by Hawai`i got them the lead at 16-15. But LBSU came up big, led by Robin Miramontes. Miramontes had five kills in a 13-3 run that got the 49ers to 28-19. UH rallied with five of the next six points before a block by the Beach ended game three 30-24.

An early 9-1 run put the Rainbow Wahine out in front 11-4 to start game four. Hawai`i clamped down on the Beach for the rest of the game, never letting them within more than five points again. Up 22-15 late, Kamana`o served a 3-0 run before Raeceen Woolford came in to seal the deal. Woolford served a 4-0 run that included a back row kill by the defensive specialist and an ace, getting UH to match point at 29-16. Alexis Crimes put away a kill to stall it before Mason got the kill that ended the night, giving UH the 30-17 game four win.

The win was UH's first over Long Beach State in the Pyramid. Hawai`i will now head home for the Honolulu Regional, where they will face No. seed Southern California on Friday, Dec. 8, at the Stan Sheriff Center

 

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