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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Emily Hartong had 24 kills and 10 digs, Jade Vorster added nine blocks and the No. 12 University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team rallied to beat UC Santa Barbara in a five-set Big West Conference thriller on Saturday night at the Thunderdome.

With the win, the 'Bows (20-4, 9-3 Big West) pull into a tie with the Gauchos (13-8, 8-2 Big West) for second in the conference. Hawai'i dropped sets one and three before rallying to take sets four and five to stay in the running for their 19^th straight league title.

Vorster also had a season-high 11 kills and eclipsed 200 blocks for her career. Nikki Taylor added 15 kills and had five in the deciding fifth-set win, three which either tied the set or gave the 'Bows the lead. She also added nine digs and five blocks. Kalei Adolpho had six kills and five blocks, and sparked a late 4-0 run with a kill to help the 'Bows to their set four win.

Katey Thompson led UCSB with 12 kills and Phoebe Grunt had a match-high 10 blocks.

The opening set saw a hot start by Hawai'i fizzle out and turn into a UCSB win. The 'Bows led by five points early but saw the Gauchos assume control with an 11-3 run to take their first lead. A pair of Taylor errors extended the lead to 15-12 before UCSB held off the 'Bows to win set one.

The 'Bows responded in a big way to even the match. Hartong kick started the Hawai'i attack with a pair of kills to give her team an early 5-0 lead. The strong play continued, this time with Vorster contributing two kills and a block that put the 'Bows ahead 12-4. UH never slowed down en route to a 25-15 win.

In set three, the 'Bows led up until the midway point when three straight Gaucho kills gave them a lead they would not relinquish. A Tai Manu-Olevao (8 kills) kill brought UH to within a point and Hartong had four kills down the stretch but it wasn't enough as UCSB pulled out a tight 25-23 win.

The 'Bows will have nearly two weeks off before they return to the court for senior weekend at the Stan Sheriff Center. UH will play UC Davis on Friday, Nov. 22 before taking on Cal State Northridge in their home finale the following night.