HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (2-4, 0-0 Big West) fell in a heartbreaking five sets to 23rd-ranked UCLA, 25-20, 13-25, 25-23, 23-25, 9-15. In the loss, freshman hitter Caylen Alexander put down career-highs of 18 kills and 11 digs for her first double-double. Junior middle Amber Igiede concluded a strong tournament with her third career double-double notching 11 kills and 10 blocks on Sunday night at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Hawai'i had a chance to win the match as they led UCLA, 23-18 in the fourth set, but the Bruins mounted an epic rally to score the final seven-straight points to even the match at 2-2.
 
For Alexander, the rookie from Alpharetta, Ga.. hit .282 (18-7-39) and was in on two blocks while dealing a service ace which was her team-leading seventh of the season.
 
Junior Braelyn Akana tied her career-high with 11 kills while hitting .304 with four errors in 23 swings. She was in on four blocks and had three digs.
 
Setters Kate Lang and Mylana Byrd had 23 assists each in the match. Byrd came off the bench to spark the 'Bows in the second set and started the final three frames as UH switch to a 6-2 offense.
 
Set 1 started with both teams trading sideouts with eight ties but just one lead change in the set.  UH was able to go on a 6-to-0 scoring run with Alexander serving during which UH tied then passed UCLA to take an 11-6 lead. The Bruins quickly erased their deficit, scoring six-straight of their own to knot the score at 11-11. Hawai'i would score seven of the next nine points to take a 20-15 lead. UH would lead by as many as six at 22-16 and closed out the frame winning, 25-20.
 
After UH won the first point of the second set, it was all UCLA as the Bruins reeled off 10 consecutive points from which UH could not recover from. UH trimmed its deficit to six, but the Bruins would maintain their lead as they cruised to a 25-13 Set 2 win, tying the match at a set apiece.  
 
UCLA took a 6-1 lead to start the third set, but UH immediately responded by scoring seven of the next eight points—four coming with Igiede behind the service line—as the 'Bows tied and took the lead at 8-7. The Bruins see-sawed back in front to go up 11-8 via a four-point scoring run. The 'Bows would battle back to tie it again at 12-12. UCLA take an 18-14, but UH would rally to score six straight to take a two point lead at 22-20, During that run UH came through with three-straight blocks with Igiede in the middle. Hawai'i would hold off UCLA down the stretch to take Set 3, 25-23.
 
Hawai'i took their momentum into the fourth frame, taking a 7-2 lead. The set would remain close. A five point run with Annika de Goede serving gave UH a 20-13 lead. The run included a pair of aces by de Goede. After a UCLA timeout, the Bruins scored three straight points forcing a UH timeout. UH was serving at 23-18, but the Bruins would on a 9-to-2 run—including the last seven-straight—to win the set, 25-23, tying the match at 2-2.
 
The Bruins kept rolling into the fifth. UCLA led at 8-5 going into the media timeout and would never look back as the closed out the winning 15-9 Set 5
 
For the match, UCLA out-hit UH, 60-53 in kills and .247-to-.131 in hitting percentage. The Bruins had one more dig than the 'Bows (59-58) and out-blocked UH, 14.0-to-12.0.
 
UCLA had three players hit double-digit kills, led by Charitie Luper led with 17. Mackenzie Cole rand Matti McKissock each had a match-high 14 digs apiece while Francesca Alupei had a team-high nine blocks.
 
Up next, the Rainbow Wahine face another PAC-12 power, No. 25 Southern California in the two-match Hawaiian Airlines Series. Matches will be on Friday, Sept. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 10 with both starting at 7:00 p.m. in the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

2022 Outrigger Volleyball Challenge All-Tournament Team
Tessa Marshall, Texas State
Bailey Miller, West Virginia
Amber Igiede, Hawai'i
Kate Lang, Hawai'i
Mattie McKissock, UCLA
Anna Dodson, UCLA

Most Valuable Player: élan McCall, UCLA