Box Score (html) | Game Recap (Courtesy of Ka Leo)

HONOLULU – The No. 6 University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team finished off a perfect Big West Conference opening weekend with a 25-7, 25-13, 25-15 win over UC Riverside on Sunday evening at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Emily Hartong drilled a match-high 12 kills for the 'Bows who improved to 13-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big West. The Highlanders dropped to 1-12 and 0-1 in league play. Kaela Goodman had a career-high six blocks and Ashley Kastl added six kills and a season-high 10 digs. Nine different Rainbow Wahine recorded kills on the evening.

Ashley Cox nearly had a double-double for UCR with nine kills and nine digs.

The 'Bows opened the first set scoring early and often. UH scored the set's first five points then extended the lead to 11-1 off a Taylor kill. Kills by Vorster and Kalei Adolpho (4 kills) helped the lead swell to 14-3. The Rainbow Wahine, who had broken the rally scoring record two days ago for least points allowed in a set, came just two shy of that when they raced to the 25-7 win.

Set two began in similar fashion when UH scored six of the first seven points sparked by Taylor who smashed half of her six kills in the run. A pair of Cox kills cut the lead to 17-8 but UH sprinted to the finish line as Goodman closed the door with a pair of blocks.

The early going of set three was more competitive but the 'Bows eventually proved to be too much for UCR. With the score at 7-5, the Rainbow Wahine went on an 8-2 run to propel them to their third straight sweep.

Hawai'i heads out on its first Big West road trip of the season, playing at Long Beach State this Friday, Oct. 4 and UC Irvine one day later on Saturday.