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HONOLULU—The No. 6 University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team fought valiantly, but in the end, No. 4 Wisconsin held off the charging 'Bows in four sets, 25-16, 25-16, 24-26, 25-23 to open the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational and the 2016 season. Freshman Kirsten Sibley led the 'Bows with 13 kills while junior Emily Maglio added 12. Redshirt freshman Natasha Burns came off the bench to lead UH with four blocks in two sets while Savanah Kahakai and Clare-Marie Anderson both notched career-highs in digs for the 'Bows on Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Badgers came out and over-powered the short-handed Rainbow Wahine in the first two sets by identical scores on 25-16. Wisconsin kept the 'Bows out of system with some tough serving as Hawai'i was trying to work through some different line-ups and players in different positions due to injuries to reigning Big West Player of the Year Nikki Taylor and senior middle Annie Mitchem. Also playing only in the back row was junior Kalei Greeley who is a two-year starter at outside hitter who is on the mend from off-season surgery.
 
But in the third set, it was a trio of rookies who sparked the 'Bows. The entrance of true freshman Norene Iosia and Burns brought energy to the 'Bows as they both made their first appearance on the SSC Teraflex. With Hawai'i playing a more traditional line-up, UH started to settle down and rally as their serving and passing improved.  UH took their first lead of the match early then battled throughout the rest of the tight set which saw 16 ties and six lead changes, UH hung on to win the third to force a fourth with a 26-24 score. Hawai'i led as much as three points late in the fourth set at 19-16 when the Badgers called timeout. And Wisconsin went on to pull away to win the match in four with the final set ended at 25-23.
                                                                                          
For the first time ever, the new video challenge system was in place for the NCAA. There were three challenges—one by Wisconsin and two by Hawai'i. In the first two instances, the calls were overturned, in the third, the point was replayed.
 
Sibley buried 13 kills on 44 swings and eight errors. She also added three blocks and two digs in her first action in the Stan Sheriff Center. Maglio hit .265 with 12 kills in 34 attempts with just three errors. Maglio, who played in the back row for the first time in her career, had four digs and three blocks. Burns was efficient at the net, putting down four kills in nine swings with an error to hit .333. Anderson popped up a career-high 10 digs while Kahakai tied her career high with 23 digs in the back row. Iosia was solid with one service ace, three dig and two blocks while dishing out 22 assists.
 
Hawai'i out-blocked the Badgers, 11.5-to-8.0, but Wisconsin out-hit the 'Bows, .265-to-.109. UW had 64 kills to UH's 42.
                                                                                         
It was the first career start for sophomore Casey Castillo, Sibley, and Anderson. In the third set, both redshirt freshman Natasha Burns and true freshman Norene Iosia made their first career-appearances for the Rainbow Wahine.

Wisconsin had four players hit for double-digit kills, led by Molly (19), Haleigh Nelson (14), Layryn Gillis (12) and Tionna Williams (11). All-American setter Lauren Carlini dished out 58 assists with two kills, two aces and three blocks.
 
Up next for Hawai'i is Kansas State on Day 2 of the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 7:00 p.m.