HONOLULU – The No. 7 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (9-2, 2-0 WAC) swept through the Boise State Broncos (3-8, 1-1) 25-11, 25-18 and 29-27 in front of a crowd of 6,485 at the Stan Sheriff Center Saturday.

 

Kanani Herring had her sixth double-double of the season, posting team highs in kills (10 and digs (15). Aneli Cubi-Otineru added nine kills, five aces and four digs while hitting .333 while Jamie Houston had nine kills and three digs in two sets. Stephanie Ferrell hit .500 with five kills while Dani Mafua added 31 assists.

 

Back-to-back kills by Herring capped an 8-2 start for the Rainbow Wahine in the first set. Boise State was able to close it to 11-7 before a big 10-1 run put UH ahead 21-8. The Broncos would score a few more points before a solo block by Mafua closed it out 25-11.

 

Hawai`i jumped ahead 8-3 to start the second set. But Boise State responded, scoring four of the next five points to pull within a point at 10-9. The Broncos stayed within striking distance until late as UH used a 6-2 run to get out in front 23-15. BSU was able to score three more points before the Rainbow Wahine closed it out, 25-18.

 

In the third set, Head Coach Dave Shoji started three different players off the bench, who helped the Rainbow Wahine get out to a 7-3 edge. But the Broncos battled, pulling within a point at 9-8 and 12-11 before a 7-3 run by UH got the lead to 19-14. Despite allowing a 5-1 Bronco run to allow it back to a one-point difference at 20-19, an ace by Amber Kaufman capped a quick three-point spurt, putting UH in prime position to close out the match at 23-19. But Boise State kept battling. BSU held off three set points before a block gave the Broncos their own set point at 25-24. UH had to fight off set point three times on a kill by Ferrell and two by Herring, before they took back control of the set. A block by Kaufman and Jessica Keefe gave Hawai`i another set point at 28-27, and this time they'd close it out, forcing BSU into a hitting error to end the set at 29-27.

 

The Rainbow Wahine will now embark on their first road trip of the season, playing at Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and San Jose State in three different time zones in a span of five days.