SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (13-6, 6-2 Big West) bounced back after falling in a tough, five-set match last night at UC Santa Barbara to defeat Cal Poly in four on Saturday at the Mott Athletic Center. Amber Igiede put down a match-high 16 kills and was tied for the team-high with four blocks to lead Hawai'i to the victory.
 
Igiede powered UH in Set 3, pounding down six kills with no errors on eight swings. Although she only had one kill in the fourth, she was in on three big blocks that helped propel the 'Bows into a tie for second place with Long Beach State at 6-2 in conference play.
 
Getting her first start of the season at libero was Tayli Ikenaga who came through with a team-high 12 digs. With Ikenaga serving, Hawai'i went on clutch extended scoring runs in both the third and fourth set. She added three assists, and a pair of aces.
 
Caylen Alexander also got the start, but not on the left, but at opposite. Alexander was solid, notching her seventh double-double of the season with 12 kills and 10 digs. She added two service aces and two blocks as well. She has recorded at least four kills, two digs and a block in 16 of 17 matches this season. Her late serving run in the fourth pushed UH to match point at 24-15.
 
For the second-straight match, Paula Guersching recorded double-digit kills, coming up with a dozen kills and a UH career-high four blocks. She finished a dig shy of a double-double with nine.
 
Cal Poly took an early 8-6 lead on a 3-0 scoring run in the first. But the 'Bows reeled off eight of the next nine points for a 14-9 lead. Three Rainbow Wahine were led on offense by Igiede, Gersching and Riley Wagoner who all put down five kills each in the first stanza with UH winning Set 1, 25-18.
 
An early 8-to-2 run gave Cal Poly a 10-6 lead In Set 2. Later, Hawai'i would fight back to score three-straight to tie the score at 17-17. Cal Poly pulled away on a 5-to-1 run of their own for a four point lead, 22-18. The 'Bows rallied to close to within one at 21-22, but the Mustangs would hold off UH, scoring three of the last four points to win, 25-22 evenomg the match at a set apiece.
 
Set 3 started with Cal Poly holding an early 10-8 lead. Hawai'i, however would score the next five-straight points to leapfrog over CP for a 13-10 lead. UH would lead by as many as five at 18-13. The Mustangs were able to cut their deficit to two at 22-20, but UH scored three of the next four to win Set 3, 25-21 for a 2-1 match lead.
 
In Set 4, Hawai'i led 10-7 after a 6-to-1 run. But that lead quickly evaporated on a three-point run by the Mustangs. Cal Poly seesawed back into the lead  at 14-13. Behind the serving of Ikenaga, UH would tie and then overtake the Mustangs for good after a 6-0 run that included three UH blocks that left UH with a 19-14 lead. After a CP point, Alexander kept things going serving for four more points to give the 'Bows match point, 24-15. A Cal Poly attack sailed long and UH won Set 4, 25-16.
 
Lizzy Markoviska had 15 kills, Annabelle Thalken was in on seven blocks and setter Emme Bullis had a double-double with 39 assists and 11 digs.
 
The Rainbow Wahine will remain on the road to conclude their three-match conference roadtrip at UC Davis on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 4:00 p.m. HT. It is UH's only Tuesday match of the season.