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HONOLULU – Looking to shake off the sting of two straight losses, the No. 13 University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team did just that in a straight-set win over UC Irvine on Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Set scores were 25-22, 25-16, 25-23.
 
Both teams hit below .200 but it were the 'Bows (17-4, 6-3 BWC) that used timely runs to pull away in each sets. Emily Hartong had a match-high 12 kills and Ali Longo, impressive on the defensive end, had a match-best 18 digs.
 
Arielle Manz had eight kills and four blocks to lead the Anteaters who fell to 11-12 overall and 2-7 in the Big West Conference.
 
The opening set saw the 'Bows erase a late five-point deficit and finish on a 9-1 run. A handful of stellar digs by Longo kept several rallies alive as UH overcame a sloppy start to win the set. The Anteaters had gone on a 5-0 run to take a 21-16 lead, but a block and a kill by Taylor started the Rainbow run that put UCI away.
 
Hawai'i capitalized on a series of Anteater errors in its set two win. Midway through the set, a 6-0 Rainbow run extended the lead to 18-11 forcing UCI to use a timeout. The Anteaters hung around on an Aly Squires (6 kills, 8 digs) kill but three straight points by Hartong, a kill and two aces, helped the 'Bows pull away for the two-set lead.
 
Hawai'i had to overcome a sluggish start and a four-point UC Irvine lead in set three to complete the sweep. Kills by Hartong and Mita Uiato (26 assists, 7 digs) spearheaded a 5-1 run to tie the set, but block assists by Allison Lee (6 kills) and Manz regained the lead for the Anteaters at 20-18. The 'Bows rallied once again and won match on a Hartong kill and a Tayler Higgins ace.
 
The 'Bows return to action on Saturday against Long Beach State. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.