STANFORD, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team saw its season come to an end, falling to the LSU Tigers in four sets, 21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22. Three Rainbow Wahine recorded 15-plus kills and four recorded double-digit digs, but it was not enough to offset UH's 32 hitting errors and nine serving errors on Friday night at Maples Pavilion.
 
The loss snapped the Rainbow Wahine's 12-match winning streak and marked just the fifth time UH has lost in the first round in 40 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Riley Wagoner led the way with 20 kills and tied her career-high with 17 digs to record her eighth double-double of the season. The junior tallied her 700th career kill while becoming the first Rainbow Wahine player to record 20 kills in an NCAA Tournament match since Nikki Taylor in 2016 vs. USC.
 
Amber Igiede added 16 kills and four blocks for her eighth straight match and 27th on the season with double-digit kills. In Set 3, the middle blocker from Baton Rouge, La. recorded her 400th career block. Rookie Caylen Alexander also reached double-figures in kills for the 16th time this year, finishing with 15.

On defense, joining Wagoner with 10-plus kills were Tayli Ikenaga who tied her season-high with 18 digs. Kendra Ham added 12 digs and setter Kate Lang tallied her ninth double-double of the season with 47 assists and 10 digs.

Hawai'i (22-7) led by as many as four early to start at 9-5, but the Tigers scored five of six points to overtake the 'Bows, 11-10. Back-to-back kills by Alexander sparked UH as the 'Bows see-sawed back in front. LSU would retake the lead and held it at 17-16. With Kendra Ham serving Hawai'i went on a five-point scoring run to leapfrog past the Tigers, 21-17. LSU staved off two set points, but Alexander pounded her fifth kill as UH won Set 1, 25-21. In the frame, Wagoner led UH with six kills while Alexander hit .625 in her NCAA tourney debut on eight errorless swings.
 
After 10 ties and three lead changes, LSU (16-13) went into the media timeout with a15-14 lead.  But the Tigers would score five straight to take a commanding 20-15 lead from which UH could not recover from. LSU would take Set 2, 25-19. After hitting .378 in Set 1, the Rainbow Wahine hit just -.040 with 15 hitting errors. Wagoner led UH after two sets with 12 kills and 10 digs.
 
Set 3 was tight with 12 ties and five lead changes going into the media timeout. From that point LSU took over going on a 6-to-1 run to extend its lead to 21-16. Hawai'i would hold off two set points, but fell 25-20 as LSU took a 2-1 match lead.
 
The Tigers took control of Set 4 early and never looked back. LSU doubled up on the 'Bows early at 8-4. UH scored three to trail by just one at 7-8, but LSU pulled away scoring the next three points to go back up by four. Hawai'i tried to rally, coming within a point at trailing 15-16 which forced an LSU timeout. The Tigers then went on a 5-to-2 run to expand their lead to 21-17. UH fought off two match points, cutting it to 24-22 before a service error ended the Rainbow Wahine's season.

It was the final collegiate match for Hawai'i's lone senion Mylana Byrd. Next year, Hawai'i will return 14--including eight seniors --Braelyn Akana, Chandler Cowell, Talia Edmonds, Kennedi Evans, Kendra Ham, Amber Igiede, Riley Wagoner, and Tiffany Westerberg.