HONOLULU — After a slow start, the 23rd-ranked University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (5-2) put their foot on the gas and zoomed past Pepperdine with a late rally to steal the first set which helped propel the Rainbow Wahine to their first sweep of the season, 27-25, 25-18, 25-21. Hawai'i bounced back after a marathon five-set loss on Thursday, to even its record in the OUTRIGGER Volleyball Challenge at 1-1 on Friday at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
 
The Rainbow Wahine trailed Pepperdine (1-6) 22-15 and 24-20 in the first set before fighting off four set points, capped by a 7-1 run ending with a dig-kill by Tali Hakas. The Rainbow Wahine then dominated the second set and held off the Waves late in the third to close out the sweep.
 
UH sophomore outside hitter Caylen Alexander rebounded from a quiet performance against Liberty by posting her second double-double of the season, tying her season high with 15 kills while hitting a season-best .297 to go along with 11 digs.
 
Alexander was among the Rainbow Wahine pin hitters who helped fuel UH's most efficient offensive performance of the season. Senior outside hitter Riley Wagoner put away 14 kills while hitting a season-best .355 and Hakas finished with seven kills on .375 hitting, three aces and 11 digs.
 
Middle blocker Amber Igiede contributed eight kills to a UH attack that collectively hit .324 with a season-low 11 errors in 111 attempts.
 
UH setter Kate Lang posted her third straight double-double with 37 assists and 10 digs and senior libero Talia Edmonds popped up a match-high 15 digs to pass 300 in her Rainbow Wahine career.
 
There were five ties and two lead changes early in the first set before Pepperdine crept out to a 15-12 lead at the technical timeout. The Waves created separation with a 5-0 run to stretch their lead to 22-15. UH called its second timeout of the set trailing 24-20 and fought off three set points with kills by Igide, Lang and Alexander. After Pepperdine used its second timeout, Wagoner served up an ace to force deuce at 24-24.
 
A block by Igiede was overturned upon review, but the point still went to the Wahine with Wagoner's second ace of the 5-0 run. Pepperdine survived a set point, but UH put it away when Hakas popped up cross-court shot, sending the ball over the net and into the corner for a dig-kill.
 
The Wahine ended up hitting .450 in the set with 19 kills against one error in 40 attacks led by Alexander's six kills in 13 swings without an error.
 
The Wahine rolled the momentum into an 11-2 run to open the second set and led 19-8 after Hakas' ace off the tape. Two plays later, Hakas made a diving save of a Pepperdine block and Wagoner ended the rally with her eighth kill of the match. Pepperdine put together an 10-2 run and survived five set points before Alexander's kill off the block ended the set.
 
UH opened the third set with a 7-2 surge capped by a block by Lang and Igiede. The Wahine again opened up a commanding lead, going up 15-7 on Wagoner's 10^th kill. Pepperdine closed the gap to 18-14 with a five-point run leading to a UH timeout. UH led 22-20 when Wagoner put away back-to-back kills to give UH match point and Igiede's final kill ended the night.
 
Pepperdine was led by Birdie Henrickson's 10 kills and 14 digs. 

The match was a battle between Robyn Ah Mow and Scott Wong who both served as assistants to legendary former Rainbow Wahine head coach Dave Shoji before they rose to become head coaches at their alma maters. 

The Rainbow Wahine conclude the OUTRIGGER Volleyball Challenge and their season-opening homestand by taking on UCLA in the tournament finale on Sunday. The 78th meeting between the Rainbow Wahine and Bruins is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sunday's festivities will include a celebration of the 40th anniversary of UH's 1983 NCAA championship. Dave Shoji and members of the 1983 team that won back-to-back national titles will be honored during the match.