HONOLULU —
Caylen Alexander added a historic performance to an already prolific early-season run to power the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team to a five-set victory over Texas State and the OUTRIGGER Invitational title on Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Alexander hammered a career-high 38 kills, becoming the first UH player to go over 35 kills in nearly 18 years, and the Rainbow Wahine (6-1) captured their second tournament crown this season with a 25-22, 19-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-12 win over the Bobcats (4-4) to cap their seven-game season-opening homestand.
Alexander punctuated the night with nine kills on 14 swings in the fifth set alone and UH improved to 4-1 in five-set matches this season. She became the first UH player to exceed 35 kills in a match since Jamie Houston hit that number against USC on Dec. 8, 2006 in the NCAA Tournament. She finished with 74 attempts, making her the first Rainbow Wahine to take more than 70 swings in a match since Emily Hartong's 79 against UC Irvine on Oct. 27, 2012.
She was efficient and proficient in hitting .338, popped up 13 digs to post her sixth double-double of the season, and served up two aces while earning her second Most Outstanding Player award of her junior year. She also claimed the honor after leading UH to the title of the season-opening Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic.
Setter
Kate Lang was named to the all-tournament team after posting 56 assists — going over 50 for the third time this season — and 17 digs in her fourth double-double. She also put down a season-high five kills on seven attempts.
It was also a landmark night for senior libero
Tayli Ikenaga, who recorded the first double-double of her career with 12 digs and a career-high 12 assists and made the all-tournament team. Freshman middle
Miliana Sylvester also earned all-tournament honors after contributing eight kills and two blocks.
Middle blocker
Jacyn Bamis also provided a spark with 10 kills, two aces and two blocks. Opposite
Tali Hakas came up one kill shy of a double-double while tying her career best with 18 digs.
UH opened the match with its most efficient set of the season, hitting .421 with 19 kills against three errors to win the first set for the third time in seven matches. Alexander converted on seven of her first 11 swings and finished the set with nine kills in 15 attempts to hit .533.
As in Tuesday's stand-alone match between the teams, Texas State controlled the second set, racing out to a 7-1 lead. The Bobcats led 21-11 when UH chopped into the deficit with a 7-1 run that included three Alexander kills. But Texas State finished off the set to even the match.
Lang called her own number to tap down four kills in as many attempts in the third set while running an attack that hit .302 and served up an ace to lead UH back in front in the match. But Texas State answered again by hitting .444 in an error-free fourth set to overcome Alexander's eight kills and force UH to play a fifth for the fifth time in seven matches.
The 'Bows broke open a tight set with a five-point run featuring three Alexander kills and a solo block by Bamis and UH earned match point at 14-10. Texas State stayed alive for two more points before Alexander put away her final kill of the night.
The Rainbow Wahine embark on their first road trip of the season on Sunday and will play at UNLV on Sept. 17 in Las Vegas. The week-long trip will also take them to the Lone Star State to face defending national champion Texas and Baylor.
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