HONOLULU — Long nights have been the norm for the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team so far this season and the Rainbow Wahine outlasted Pepperdine in five sets on Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center to earn a split of the two-match series.
Following a five-set loss in Friday's series opener, UH (3-1) started and finished strong in a 25-16, 25-22, 22-25, 21-25, 15-9 win over the Waves (1-3). The Rainbow Wahine have gone to the distance in three of their first four matches and played nearly six hours of volleyball over 10 sets in the series with the Waves.
UH outside hitter
Caylen Alexander put way six kills in 10 attempts in the fifth set and finished with a team-high 25 kills in 57 swings. The junior tied her career high with 16 digs in her third double-double of the season and also had two solo blocks and two aces.
Senior libero
Tayli Ikenaga anchored UH's floor defense with 33 digs, setting a career high for the second straight match, and punctuated the night with a walk-off ace.
Ikenaga posted the highest digs total for a Rainbow Wahine player since Tita Akiu's 34 on Nov. 29, 2018 at Baylor, which stands as the program's rally-scoring record (since 2001). Ikenaga had 14 digs in the third set alone and went on to pass the previous career best of 27 digs she set on Friday. She is among seven players in the nation with at least 33 digs in a match this season.
Outside hitter
Stella Adeyemi put away 13 kills while hitting .370 and middle blocker
Jacyn Bamis also enjoyed a career night with 11 kills to go along with five blocks.
Sophomore
Tali Hakas recorded the second double-double of her career with 10 kills and 15 digs. Setter
Kate Lang distributed 57 assists, one short of her career high, and had 14 digs in the 37
th double-double of her career.
Freshman defensive specialist
Victoria Leyva had 12 digs in her first career start and the UH defense finished 99 total digs with five players in double figures.
After frigid starts in their first three matches, the 'Bows caught fire early on Saturday, posting their most efficient set of the season to date. UH hit .359 to open the match while the floor defense popped up 20 digs. The 'Bows took command with an 8-2 surge with Alexander contributing three kills and two blocks, including a solo stuff.
The teams traded sideouts early in the second set before UH again put together another 8-2 run to open up a 22-17 lead. UH earned set point at 24-19 and Pepperdine stayed alive for three more points before Alexander's 12
th kill was ruled in and upheld after a challenge.
UH went on a six-point run with Alexander on the service line early in the third set but Pepperdine responded and moved ahead at 15-12 at the technical timeout. The Waves maintained the lead and held off late UH push to extend the match.
Pepperdine's Birdie Hendrickson accounted for four kills in a 5-1 run midway through the fourth set. The Waves stretched the lead to 22-17 and again held on to send the match to a fifth set.
Alexander took over in the fifth set with three kills and a solo block in a five-point UH run to give the 'Bows command and Ikenaga's ace triggered a UH celebration.
Hendrickson led Pepperdine with 25 kills and Grace Chillingworth added 16.
The Rainbow Wahine next face Texas State on Tuesday at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. They'll close the season-opening homestand by hosting the OUTRIGGER Invitational next weekend with matches against Oregon State and Texas State.
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