HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (1-0) came from behind, winning Sets 4 & 5 to pull away from Northwestern, 18-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-21, 15-7 at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Led by seniors Amber Igiede and Riley Wagoner, Hawai'i opened the season and the 33^rd Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic with a thrilling five set victory.
 
After putting down one kill in the first set, senior middle blocker Amber Igiede rallied to lead Hawai'i with 14 kills and a match-high nine blocks. Igiede was a force at the net came through pounding down set points in 2 and 4. In all four Rainbow Wahine notched 10+ kills in the win while three had double-digit digs. Both Riley Wagoner and Caylen Alexander recorded double-doubles. Wagoner finished with 13 kills and 12 digs to go with three blocks while Alexander tallied 12 kills and 12 digs to start the season.
 
The Manōa Roofing Company was in business as it posted 15.0 blocks—the most since UH had 15 in three sets vs. UC San Diego (11/14/2021). All six who played in the front row had at least two blocks each.
 
In her Rainbow Wahine debut freshman pin-hitter Tali Hakas finished a dig shy of a double-double putting down 10 kills with nine digs. She also was in on three blocks with a service ace while providing energy to the team and the crowd of 5,854.
 
Senior middle Kennedi Evans had career-highs in her first start at UH, with six kills and five blocks. Starting libero, senior Talia Edmonds scooped up a team-high 18 digs to start the season. Junior setter Kate Lang dished out 49 assists with eight digs, two blocks and an ace.
 
Early in the first set, a 4-to-1 run gave the Wildcats a 12-8 lead and never looked back. UH closed the gap to a one-point deficit at 14-15. But Northwestern closed out the set on a 9-to-2 run to run away with Set 1, 25-18.
 
In the second set, after NU led very early, 2-1, UH fought back to score seven-straight points to take a 12-4 lead. The Wildcats strung five points together to trim their deficit to 21-18, but the 'Bows ended the set scoring the final four-straight points on consecutive kills by Hakas and a block and a kill by Igiede ended Set 2, 25-18.
 
The two teams were 11 times with six lead changes in the third frame as the lead and momentum see-sawed back and forth. With UH trailing 5-8, the 'Bows went on a 4-to-0 run to leapfrog in front, 10-8. But the Wildcats countered scoring four-straight of their own for a 12-10 lead. Back-to-back Igiede kills knotted the score at 13-13, but Northwestern would hold off the 'Bows to take Set 3, 25-21 and lead the match 2-1.
 
Both teams traded mini runs to start Set 4. Hawai'i scored five-straight to go up 16-12 and slowly pulled away leading by as much as six points twice. Northwestern rallied late with three-straight points, but UH would force a fifth and deciding set taking Set 4, 25-21.
 
Hawai'i jumped out to a 6-2 lead early, but NU came right back to trail by 1 at 6-5. A pair of kills by Evans and Hakas gave UH a 9-6 lead forcing the Wildcats to call timeout. With Alexander serving, UH scored the final six-straight points to pull away for the fifth set win, 15-7.
 
Northwestern's Julia Sangiacomo had a match-high 17 kills while Leilani Dodson had a team-high eight blocks and Ellee Sinson came up with a match-high 25 digs.
 
Hawai'i had the team advantage in kills (55-to-50, assists (59-to-43), and blockes (15.0-to-10.0). Northwestern out-dug UH 69-to-65 and had four aces to UH's three.
 
UH has gone to five sets in season openers in four of the last six years and is now 2-2 in those matches.  
 
Hawai'i return for Night #2 of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic on Saturday night against 13th-ranked San Diego at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.