IRVINE, Calif.— For the second straight night, the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (9-5, 6-0 Big West) came back after dropping the first set to win in four sets at UC Irvine (6-11, 3-2 Big West), 20-25, 25-20, 27-25, 25-15. On Saturday night at the Bren Events Center, UH's Riley Wagoner led the Rainbow Wahine in kills for the second-straight match while Brooke Van Sickle recorded her fourth double-double in the last five matches. The match was tightly contested with 25 ties and 9 lead changes. With the win, Hawai'i remains one of two unbeaten teams in the Big West.
 
Wagoner followed her 20 kill match last night recording a match-high 16 kills at UC Irvine. It marked the fourth time this season with double-digit kills in a match.  
 
Van Sickle tallied her seventh double-double of the season and 11th of her career with 14 kills and 15 digs. It marked her fourth double-double in the last five matches. She also added a couple of assists and three blocks in the match to lead UH with 15.5 points.
 
Freshman setter Kate Lang dished out 44 assists and was in on eight digs and three blocks, while sophomore Braelyn Akana put down a career-high 11 kills. Freshman libero Tayli Ikenaga recorded her ninth match with over 10 digs with 15 at UCI.
 
The Anteaters jumped out to an early lead to start the match, racing to a 14-9 lead which forced the 'Bows to call an early timeout. UC Irvine would lead by as many as six points before UH went on a 4-to-0 run to close to within three at 17-14, causing UCI to call their first timeout. Hawai'i would get within one point at 22-21, but the Anteaters would pull away to win Set 1, 25-20.
 
Hawai'i held a slim lead early in Set 2, but UC Irvine erased their deficit, catching UH at 13-13 and overtaking the 'Bows via a five point run that gave the Anteaters a 16-13 lead. Hawai'i would take control late, going on a 4-to-1 run to knot the score at 18-18 making UC Irvine call a timeout. UH would end Set 2 on a 9-to-2 run—with Martyna Leoniak serving a 4-point run during that span. Hawai'i closed out Set 2, 25-20 to tie the match at a set apiece.
 
In the third set, the Rainbow Wahine fell behind early, 7-2. Hawai'i, with Van Sickle serving, quickly erased their deficit on a 5-to-0 run to tie the frame at 7-7. With Leoniak serving, UH took a 15-10 lead on a 5-to-0 run. The Anteaters would come right back to tie the score at 17-17. Hawai'i eventually served for their first set point at 24-23 but was denied. With the score tied at 24-24, a miscommunication at the net allowed the Anteaters to gain set-point at 25-24. Wagoner put down a kill that evened things at 25-25 for the 11th tie of the set. Van Sickle then came through in the clutch with a pair of kills that gave Set 3 to UH, 27-25.
 
Hawai'i got off to a good start in Set 4, with Igiede serving UH an early lead 6-1. UC Irvine would not back down, catching UH at 7-7. Hawai'i scored in bunches and would eventually end the match on an 11-to-2 run, sealing the team's sixth-straight win with a 25-15 win in Set 4.

After struggling early, Hawai'i ended up out-hitting the Anteaters in kills 57-tp-42 and percentage (.207-to-.125). UH out-dug UCI, 60-to-48, but Irvine out-blocked the 'Bows, 11.5-to-8.0.

UC Irvine was led by Joy Umeh's 15 kills and seven blocks. Carly Richeter had a team-high 12 digs while Kelly Negron led UCI with 22 assists.
 
The Rainbow Wahine return home to host Cal Poly on Friday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m. and new Big West member CSU Bakersfield on Saturday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m.