HONOLULU—For the first time since 2015 and the 27th-time overall the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (26-3, 14-2 Big West) is advancing to the NCAA Championship Regionals. The 18th-ranked and 12th-seeded Rainbow Wahine punched its ticket to Madison, Wisc. with a sweep over No. 20 San Diego in the NCAA Championship's Second Round, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21. The Rainbow Wahine used a balanced attack with seven different players recording at least three kills to defeat the West Coast Conference champs. Freshman outside hitter Hanna Hellvig led the 'Bows with 12 kills while senior hitter McKenna Ross added 10 kills. Junior middle blocker Skyler Williams recorded a match-high four blocks and junior libero had a match-high 20 digs as UH won its 13th-straight match.
 
The win marked the first time that head coach Robyn Ah Mow will take her squad to the Regionals. UH's 26 wins this season is the most since the 2015 season--which is also the last time the Rainbow Wahine made it to the Regionals after defeating Texas A&M in College Station, Texas in the second round.

Hawai'i out-hit the Toreros, .277-to-.185. It marked the seventh-straight match that UH has held their opponents below a .200 hitting percentage. The 'Bows had 50 kills to USD's 39 and out blocked San Diego, 9.0-to-3.0. It is the 23rd time this season that UH has out-blocked their opponents and the seventh straight. San Diego's defense however out-dug the 'Bows, 53-to-51. The match was filled with jaw-droppng rallies with both teams playing outstanding defense.
 
Hellvig put down double-digit kills for the 21st time this season. She hit .290 for the night with three errors in 31 attacks. She also was in on four blocks and had one dig.
 
Ross continued her hot hitting, recording her sixth double-digit kill match in the last eight. She also had six dis and tied her season-high with three blocks.
 
For the 2nd straight match, 19th time this season and 63rd time in her career, senior setter/outside hitter Norene Iosia recorded a double-double with 24 assists and 12 digs. She contributed three kills and a block as well.
 
Okino notched her 12th double-digit dig match and second match with at least 20 digs. She added five assists as well.
 
Senior Bailey Choy had another clutch serving night, recording a match-high three service aces to go with 19 assists and three digs.
 
The first set was tied early on at 4-4. But a three-point serving run by Bailey Choy—which started with a service ace—gave UH a 7-5 lead. UH led by as much as six points at 12-6. But UH could not pull away from the Toreros who closed to within one point down the stretch at 24-23. But Hanna Hellvig pounded a cross-court kill to capture Set 1, 25-23.
 
In the second set, San Diego jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead. But the 'Bows came back to tie it at 4-4. Hawai'i went on to lead by as many as four at 16-12. San Diego would rally to tie it at 16-16 on a 4-to-0 run. The Rainbow Wahine however would hold off the Toreros and eventually take Set 2, 25-21.
 
The lead in the third set see-sawed back and forth with five lead changes and eight ties as both teams fought hard. The Toreros led in the middle of the frame, but the 'Bows tied it at 14-14 and then pulled away scoring four straight points on Choy's serve, which included another ace. Hawai'i never looked back and coasted to a 25-20 win in Set 3 to seal the sweep to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16.

San Diego was led by Grace Frohling and Katie Lukes who both tallied 10 kills apiece. The Toreros had three players in double-figures in digs with Anna Newsome and Roxie Wiblin both recording 10 each with Annie Benbow with a team-high 11 digs. Newsome also had a match-high 35 assists.  

Hawai'i will make its way to Wisconsin this coming week to take on No. 6 and fifth-seeded Nebraska in the Regional. On the other side of the Madison bracket, No. and 13th –seeded Texas A&M will take on host No. 5/fourth-seeded Wisconsin.