Box Score Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The No. 11 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine (24-5) won a tight battle over the No. 13 New Mexico State Aggies (26-5) 28-30, 30-20, 24-30, 30-23 and 15-11 in front of a crowd of 4,046 in the WAC Tournament Championship match at the Pan American Center Saturday.

Jamie Houston led a balanced UH attack, posting 22 kills, 10 digs and three blocks. Aneli Cubi-Otineru had 17 kills, 20 digs and three aces while Tara Hittle put up 13 kills, 21 digs and four blocks. Juliana Sanders (12 kills, five blocks) and Amber Kaufman (10 kills, three blocks) came up big for Hawai`i in the middle.

The Aggies jumped ahead 6-3 to start game one. UH used a 4-1 run to tie it at 7-7. NMSU took a couple two-point leads before a big 6-0 run put the Rainbow Wahine ahead 16-12. Hawai`i got it to 20-14, before a 4-0 NMSU run pulled it back to 20-18. UH seemed to get control at 28-25, but the Aggies scored the final five points of the game, taking it 30-28.

Hawai`i was firing on all cylinders to start game two, taking a 7-1 advantage early. NMSU got within four points on a few occasions before UH took their biggest lead of the game at 25-13 before finishing off the Aggies 30-20.

Stephanie Brandt served Hawai`i on a 6-0 run early in game three, giving the Rainbow Wahine a 7-3 edge. UH kept a two-to-four point advantage until a 11-1 NMSU run put them ahead 23-17. New Mexico State never let up from that point on, taking game three, 30-24.

The Aggies looked to close it early in game four, taking a 4-1 edge. Hawai`i worked their way back to a tie at 7-7, before using a 6-0 run to go ahead 16-12. A 5-1 run by the Aggies tied the score at 17-17. UH responded, scoring six of the next eight to pull ahead 23-19. NMSU got back within two points, but the Rainbow Wahine scored six of the final seven points to run away with it 30-23.

New Mexico State opened the fifth game with a 4-2 edge. Hawai`i scored the next four points to take a 6-4 lead. UH would never relinquish the lead again, as a kill by Houston put it away, 15-11.

Houston was named the WAC Tournament MVP with Brandt and Cubi-Otineru also earning all-tournament honors.

With the win, Hawai`i earns the WAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, giving the Rainbow Wahine their 15th-straight NCAA Tournament bid. They will now return home for two matches vs. Loyola Marymount, on Nov. 20 and 21, to close out the regular season. The Nov. 21 match will celebrate Senior Night for UH's four seniors.

-UH-