AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team opened a two-match stay in the Lone Star State with a four-set loss to No. 8 Texas on Friday at Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, Texas.
Playing in Austin for the first time since 2005, the Rainbow Wahine (6-3) dropped the opening set for the sixth time this season then bounced back in the second to even the match. The host Longhorns (5-3) pulled away in the third and fourth sets to close out a 25-14, 23-25, 25-17, 25-19 victory.
UH outside hitter
Caylen Alexander entered Friday's play as the nation's leader in total kills and put away a match-high 20 on 45 attempts on Friday. The junior has posted at least 20 in seven of UH's nine matches this season and surpassed 200 for the season in the second set.
Outside hitter
Stella Adeyemi added 11 kills on 18 swings to hit a season-high .500. Alexander was in on four of UH's eight blocks along with
Jacyn Bamis and
Miliana Sylvester and the 'Bows outblocked the Longhorns 8-4. Libero
Tayli Ikenaga led the UH defense with 11 digs for her eighth match in double figures.
Playing in their home state, senior setter
Kate Lang distributed 32 assists and freshman defensive specialist
Victoria Leyva served up two aces.
Jenna Wenaas led Texas with 15 kills on .448 hitting. Devin Kahahawai, a graduate of Kamehameha-Kapālama, added 12 kills and Madisen Skinner and Reagan Rutherford finished with 10 each for the two-time defending national champion Longhorns.
Texas' offense got out to a hot start and jumped out to an 11-4 lead. The Longhorns stretched the lead to double digits and maintained control of the set while hitting .611 with 12 kills in 18 attacks.
UH played even with the Longhorns midway through the second set then surged ahead with a 6-2 run and opened up a 20-15 lead on an ace from
Tali Hakas. Texas responded with a 7-0 run to reclaim the lead and prompt a UH timeout. Alexander took over from there with three kills and a block assist in a 5-1 run to close out the set and even the match. Alexander had eight kills on 15 attacks in the set.
UH won the first point of the third set only to see Texas reel off the next eight. UH then went on an 8-2 run to close to 11-10. Kahahawai had three kills in a span of four points to help Texas gain separation and pulled away to take the set and a 2-1 lead.
The 'Bows were again within striking distance for much of the fourth set but Texas went on a 4-1 run to close out the match and earn its third win in 14 meetings with UH. The 'Bows hit .379 in the set with Hakas going 4-for-4 and Adeyemi scoring on three of her four swings.
The Rainbow Wahine close their road trip — and the nonconference portion of the schedule — on Saturday when they face No. 20 Baylor in Waco, Texas. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central time (2 p.m. Hawai'i time).
#HawaiiWVB
