Box Score   |  Box Score (html) | Photo Gallery | Watch H-TV Video |
Video Highlights (courtesy of OCSports)
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Andrew Lee)  
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Matthew Heirakuji)

HONOLULU—The 16th-ranked University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (7-1, 0-0 Big West) came from behind to upset No. 2 Florida in a five-set thriller, 18-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-22, 15-9 in front of an amazing crowd of 7,419 on Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Junior opposite Nikki Taylor drilled a career-high 27 kills and led a trio of Rainbow Wahine with double-digit kills. Senior Tai-Manu Olevao hammered a season-high 16 kills and Kalei Greeley recorded her second double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs. Sophomores Kendra Koelsh and Emily Maglio both came off the bench to spark the 'Bows to their first win over a ranked opponent since the 2013 season while fellow sophomore Savanah Kahakai, the libero, notched a career-high 19 digs on the second night of the Outrigger Resorts Volleyball Challenge.
 
It marked UH's first win over a ranked opponent since the 'Bows defeated No. 23 Creighton in five sets on Sept. 20, 2013. It was UH's first win over a Top 10 opponent since the 'Bows defeated No. 10 UCLA in straight sets on Sept. 7, 2013 and it was the first UH win over a Top 5 opponent since beating No. 1 Texas to open the 2013 season on Aug. 30. It was the first five-set match for both teams thus far this season.
 
Taylor came through in the clutch for the 'Bows, hitting .254 for the night with 11 errors in 63 swings. She also served tough, coming up with three aces while tallying a season-high 17 digs. Taylor also was in on three blocks to help lead UH to the win.
 
Manu-Olevao was one of the catalysts for Hawai'i, hitting .267 with four errors in 45 attempts with seven digs and two blocks to fill her stat line.
 
Koelsch and Tayler Higgins shared the setting duties with Higgins getting 30 assists and eight digs with two aces. Koelsch gave UH a lift in the second set and later was key in winning the fourth set. She dished out a career-high 27 assists and had three digs and two blocks in relief.  
 
The first set saw both teams trade points early on before the Gators started to pull away to build as big as a seven point lead at 15-8. UH rallied to score four straight points to cut their deficit to three points at 15-12. But Florida eventually captured the first set 25-18. Taylor led UH with six kills in the first set while Magill had two blocks to lead the 'Bows.
 
The second set was close as close could get with 20 ties and 11 lead changes. But it was the Rainbow Wahine who closed out strong down the stretch winning four of the last five points to even the match at 1-1. The last point was on the longest rally of the night with Taylor putting down the kill to win, 25-22.
 
The Gators jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead before UH was able to get some traction to score three straight points, cutting Florida's lead to 6-4. The Gators went back up 8-4, but UH scored four straight points on Taylor's serve with a service ace and back-to-back kills by Maglio to tie it up at 8-8. But The Gators would slowly pull away for the 25-22 set three win to go up 2-1.
 
In the highly charged fourth set, Florida again jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead early on, but Hawai'i kept chipping away and eventually caught the Gators at 12-12 on a Taylor kill. The two teams would tie twice before Hawai'i slowly was able to pad their lead. UH went on a five-point run, fueled by four-straight Florida hitting errors while Greeley was serving that gave the 'Bows some breathing room at 20-16. The 'Bows scored 10 of the last 12 points to win set four going away, 25-17.
 
Hawai'i took that momentum into the fifth and deciding set. Early on both teams countered back and forth with four ties until the score was 5-5. But then UH started to edge ahead. With Higgins behind the service line, UH was able to go up 12-7 on six of Higgins' serves. Hawai'i ended the match on back-to-back kills from Koelsch to Taylor to capture the match, winning the set, 15-9.

Hawai'i will conclude the Outrigger Resorts Volleyball Challenge with its final match against Eastern Washington at 7:00 pm on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
 
No. 16 Hawai'i vs. No. 2 Florida Game Notes
-It was UH's first win over a ranked opponent since the 'Bows defeated No. 23 Creighton in five sets on Sept. 20, 2013.
-It marked UH's first win over a Top 10 opponent since the 'Bows downed No. 10 UCLA in straight sets on Sept. 7, 2013
-It was the first UH win over a Top 5 opponent since beating No. 1 Texas to open the 2013 season on Aug. 30.
-It was both team's first five-set match for thus far this season.
-First time this season that three Rainbow Wahine tallied double-digit kills with Taylor hitting 27, Tai Manu-Olevao with a season-high 16 kills and Kalei Greeley adding 11.
-It marked Taylor's fourth double-double of the season with 27 kills to go with a season-high 17 digs
-It was Greeley's second double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs
-Hawai'i libero Savanah Kahakai popped up a career-high 19 digs
-Hawai'is Kendra Koelsch dished out a career-high 27 assists
-UH's Emily Maglio came from off the bench to tie her career-high with six kills to go with three blocks
-Florida was led by Alex Holston's double-double 19 kills/10 digs
-Reigning AVCA National Player of the Week, Rhamat Alhassan had 10 kills and a team-high six blocks
-Florida's Ziva Recek added 15 kills