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PHOTO GALLERY (Courtesy of Andrew Lee)
VIDEO: Highlighs/Post-match interview (Courtesy of OCSports)

HONOLULU—The No. 6 University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (19-1, 9-0 Big West) held off UC Riverside to capture their 14th-straight victory in four sets on Friday night in the Stan Sheriff Center, 25-15, 25-16, 18-25, 25-23. Opposite Nikki Taylor returned to the court to record a match-high 17 kills while middle hitter Emily Maglio tallied a match-high seven blocks, libero Savanah Kahakai had a team-high 14 digs with a career-high three service aces and Tayler Higgins dished out 28 assists as the 'Bows edged out the Highlanders with 6,947 tickets issued. UH remains the lone unbeaten team in the Big West at 9-0.
 
Taylor hit an even .400 with five errors in 30 swings. She also added four blocks (one solo) with five digs and three assists to fill her stat line. It was the 17th time this season that she's notched double-digits in kills and the 14th time that she's led UH in kills for the match.
 
The Rainbow Wahine, who are almost at full strength, had all their starters back in the line up to start the game for the first time in six matches. UH pulled away from the Highlanders in the first set, 25-15. Hawai'i was leading by just three points at 8-5 before Clare-Marie Anderson started a serving run in which the 'Bows reeled off five points to take a 13-5 lead which the Highlanders could not recover from. Taylor led the 'Bows with six kills in seven swings in the first set.
 
The Highlanders kept things close early in the second set, and trailed by just one at 13-12. But UH closed the set strong, winning 12 of the last 16 points—including the last four-straight to take the second set, 25-16. Kahakai had back-to-back aces to give UH their last two points of the set.
 
UCR rolled over UH in the third set, 25-18, leading by as much as eight points at 18-10. The 'Bows made a late run on McKenna Granato's serve to close within four points, 16-20. But UCR pulled away to take just their second set ever against Hawai'i in 35 matches since 1984.
 
Hawai'i fell behind early again in the fourth set. With the Highlanders leading by five (13-8), UH reeled off five points with Kahakai serving to catch UCR at 13-13. UH then took its first lead of the set at 14-13 on a Kalei Greeley kill. Hawai'i went up by two points, 17-15 but could never quite shake the Highlanders off. UH never led by more than two points the rest of the way and won, 25-23 to win the match. Setter Kendra Koelsch came in and got two blocks in the set and tallied six for the match.
 
The Rainbow Wahine, the No. 1 blocking team in the NCAA, continued its prowess at the net, out-blocking UCR, 14.5-to-9.0. UH also out-hit the Highlanders, .300-to-.163 and edged out their opponents 45-to-43 in digs.
 
Hawai'i will host its final regular season home match of the season on Sunday, Nov. 1 against Cal State Fullerton at 5:00 p.m. It will be Senior Night for two Rainbow Wahine—Olivia Magill and Tai Manu-Olevao. It will also be a "Whiteout" night so fans are encouraged to wear white for the match.