HONOLULU — As in the first two matches of the season, the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team fell behind early in the opener of a two-match series with Pepperdine on Friday at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Unlike last weekend, the Rainbow Wahine came up just short in the end, dropping a five-set duel as Pepperdine emerged with a 25-15, 25-27, 21-25, 25-20, 15-11 win to hand UH its first loss of the season.
The 'Bows (2-1) and Waves (1-2) meet again on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the series finale.
UH had recovered from flat starts against SMU and San Diego on its way to winning the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic last weekend and again surrendered a lopsided opening set on Friday. The 'Bows surged back in the second and third sets and had a lead late in the fourth. But Pepperdine closed the fourth set with a 7-1 run to extend the match and rolled the momentum into the fifth to earn its first win of the season.
Outside hitter
Caylen Alexander led the UH attack with a match-high 23 kills on 61 attempts.
Stella Adeyemi added 11 kills and opposite
Tali Hakas finished with 10 kills.
Freshman middle blocker
Miliana Sylvester was in on nine of UH's 11 blocks, including three solo, to go along with nine kills.
Senior libero
Tayli Ikenaga set a career high with 27 digs and passed the 900-dig mark for her career. She posted 20-plus kills for the fourth time in her career and the first time since her freshman season in 2021. Her total on Friday was the most for a UH player since
Talia Edmonds had 28 against UC San Diego on Oct. 8, 2022.
Setter
Kate Lang finished with 41 assists and 12 digs in her 36
th career double-double.
The opening set got away from the 'Bows early. Pepperdine went on an 11-1 run that included three of the Waves' five blocks in the set to open up a 16-5 lead. UH put together a five-point run with
Jackie Matias on the service line to generate a bit of momentum before Pepperdine pulled away again to claim the set.
The second set remained tight with UH edging out to an 18-16 lead and Pepperdine rallying to take a 22-21 lead.
Jacyn Bamis gave UH the lead back with the 'Bows' first ace of the night and Pepperdine fought off a set point to force deuce. UH survived a set point and
Victoria Leyva's serve forced an overpass that Sylvester tapped down to push UH ahead 26-25. Hakas absorbed a hot shot in the back row for a dig that led to Alexander's 12
th kill to even the match.
UH sent back three blocks in a 5-0 run early in the third set to prompt a Pepperdine timeout. Ikenaga's work in the back row and from the service line sparked another five-point surge that pushed UH ahead 15-9. UH continued to pull away an earned set point at 24-17. Pepperdine survived five set points before Bamis ended the run and the set.
Neither team led by more than two points deep into the fourth set and UH led 19-18 on a kill by Hakas. But Pepperdine's closing surge aided by four UH errors sent the match to the fifth.
Pepperdine broke out to a 5-1 lead in the deciding set and opened up an 11-6 cushion on an ace. A successful UH challenge trimmed the deficit to 11-8 and Alexander pounded her 22
nd kill to bring the 'Bows within two. But Pepperdine extended the lead and earned match point at 14-10. UH survived the first before the Waves closed out the win.
Grace Chillingworth led Pepperdine with 20 kills and Birdie Hendrickson added 14.
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