HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (19-6, 16-1 Big West) overcame a slow start and later rallied from eight points down in the fourth to avenge their lone conference loss of the season, defeating Cal Poly in four, 16-25, 25-12, 25-16, 25-23. Amber Igiede was one of three Rainbow Wahine to tally 10+ kills, leading UH with a match-high 17 kills in front of the largest crowd of the season, with 6,674 tickets issued on Friday night at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
 
For Igiede, it marked her 23^rd double-digit kill match of the season as she hit .355 for the match. After notching three kills and hitting .100 in the first set, Igiede responded, putting down six kills with one error in seven swings to hit .714 in the Set 2. She also led UH with two service, four digs and an assist to fill her stat line.
 
Caylen Alexander came through with 16 kills while hitting .444 (16-4-27) for her 13^th double-digit kill match of her rookie campaign. She was two digs shy of a double-double with eight digs and three blocks. Five of her kills came in the final set—including three in UH's seven-point run late en route to the win.
 
Braelyn Akana recorded her fourth double-digit kill match of the season, pounding 10 kills while hitting .250. She and Tiffany Westerberg came through with some huge blocks and kills late to help propel UH to the win. Westerberg added three kills while tying her season high with 5.0 blocks.
 
Setter Kate Lang dished out 46 assists and a couple of long service runs of 14 in the third and a seven-point run in the fourth. She served 26 times for the match. 
 
On defense, Riley Wagoner came up with a team-high 10 digs for her 11^th double-digit match of the year. She added five kills with two blocks.
 
In the first set, after the two teams traded early sideouts, Cal Poly scored three-straight to go up, 12-8. They never looked back. The Mustangs cashed in on UH's 14 total errors in the frame as they pulled away, blitzing Hawai'i for the 25-15 Set 1 win.
 
The momentum pendulum then swung in favor of Hawai'i for the next two sets. UH started the Set 2 on fire, scoring six-straight to lead 7-2 to force Cal Poly to an early timeout. Coming out of the timeout, UH kept things going tacking on four more points to extend their run to 10-to-0 all while Kendra Ham was behind the service line as UH led 11-2. Hawai'i kept the pressure on, extending their lead to as many as 13 at 23-10. UH scored six of the last eight points to knot the match at 1-1 as UH won Set 2, 25-12. Igiede powered the 'Bows with six kills in the frame. After hitting .065 in Set 1, Hawai'i hit .571 in Set 2, while Cal Poly who hit .500 in Set 1 was held to .115 in Set 2.
 
In Set 3, UH was trailing 5-4 when Lang served 13 consecutive points for a commanding 18-5 lead. During the scoring run, Cal Poly called both their timeouts but were unable to squelch UH's attack. Cal Poly scored five-straight to close to within seven points at 19-12 but UH would coast to a 25-16 Set 3 win.
 
Cal Poly got off to a 7-1 lead that ballooned to 10-2. The Mustangs led by as many as eight twice, the last coming at 18-6. But Hawai'i would slowly chip away at their deficit. Cal Poly was leading 20-15 with Lang began another serving run—this time UH scored seven-straight to catch and then overtake Cal Poly to go ahead, 22-20. The Rainbow Wahine would seal the win by taking Set 4, 25-23.
 
After hitting .065 in Set 1, Hawai'i hit a combined .391 in the last three sets (32-9-81). The Rainbow Wahine held the Mustangs to a .185 team hitting percentage. Although Cal Poly had an 8-to-3 advantage in service aces, Hawai'i out hit CP in kills (54-to-42) and hitting percentage (.306-to-.186); had a 48-to-40 advantage in assists, 44-to-39 lead in digs and 10.0-to-6.0 edge in blocks. It marked the sixth time this season that UH has had 10 or more blocks.
 
Cal Poly's Tommi Stockham had a team-high 11 kills while Meredith Phillips had five blocks. London Harberfield had a match-high 13 digs while Emme Bullis had 30 assists.
 
The Rainbow Wahine have a rare day between home matches this week. UH will face CSU Bakersfield on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 5:30 P.M. HT. Sunday is Senior Night as the 'Bows will celebrate UH's lone senior, Mylana Byrd after the match.