Box Score

HONOLULU – The No. 6 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (13-3, 6-1 WAC) fell into a tie for first in the Western Athletic Conference standings after falling to the New Mexico State Aggies (11-7, 6-1) 25-22, 26-24 and 25-21 in front of a crowd of 6,619 at the Stan Sheriff Center Sunday.

 

The loss was just the second home WAC loss UH has suffered since joining the conference in 1996 and also was only the second time UH got swept in WAC play. Hawai`i, which came into the match ranked in the top 10 nationally in hitting percentage, hit .023, the lowest for the program in the rally-scoring era (since 2001).

 

Jamie Houston led the team with 11 kills, six digs and four blocks while Amber Kaufman chimed in three kills and six blocks. Aneli Cubi-Otineru had five kills, seven digs and three aces while Stephanie Ferrell added seven kills. Dani Mafua had 26 assists and nine digs.

 

The Rainbow Wahine opened a 7-3 lead to start the first set, forcing an early timeout by NMSU coach Mike Jordan. The Aggies responded, scoring four of the next five points to pull it back to 8-7. New Mexico State took its first lead at 14-13 and later extended the lead to 20-15 on the strength of a 5-0 run. NMSU kept the lead at 22-17 before a fierce four-point run, including three Kaufman blocks, cut it back to 22-21. After an Amber Simpson kill, Kaufman teamed up with Houston for another block, cutting it back to 23-22. But the Aggies ran with it, scoring the final two points to take the first set 25-22.

 

Hawai`i jumped ahead 8-1 at the start of the second set and would take its lead to 10-2. But NMSU battled back, scoring six of the next eight points to cut it back to 12-8. A three-point run on the serve of Kanani Herring pushed it back to 15-8, but the Rainbow Wahine could never really take control. NMSU pulled to within two points on a couple occasions before UH got its first set point at 24-21. But that was when the Aggies responded. A Whitney Woods kill got NMSU the serve, before two blocks tied it at 24-24. Amber Simpson then served an ace before a UH attack error ended the second set 26-24.

 

The third set started out tight as the teams traded sideouts from 4-4 to 10-10. A 6-1 NMSU run broke the Aggies through at 16-11, with New Mexico State eventually pushing its lead to 21-13. Hawai`i showed some fight, scoring eight of the next 11 points. But the Aggies wouldn't be denied, as Woods put away a kill to end the match with a 25-21 third set victory.

 

Hawai`i will now head out on the road for a two-match road trip at Utah State and Nevada on Oct. 16 and 18.