LA JOLLA, Calif. — The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team delivered its most efficient performance of the season to sweep UC San Diego in Saturday's Big West match at LionTree Arena in La Jolla, Calif.
The Rainbow Wahine (7-12, 3-5 Big West) hit a season-high .385 as a team led by freshman
Cha'lei Reid's 18 kills on a personal-best .438 hitting and snapped a four-match losing streak. UH also improved to 10-0 in the all-time series with the Tritons (4-16, 2-6) with its second road win of the season.
UH middle blocker
Bri Gunderson got out to a hot start and finished with nine kills in 12 attempts with one error to hit .667 and was in on three blocks. Middle blocker
Miliana Sylvester and outside hitter
Tyla Reese Mane added seven kills each and Mane served up two of UH's six aces.
Libero
Victoria Leyva also dealt two aces to go along with 11 digs. Setter
Adrianna Arquette distributed 30 assists in directing the attack and also contributed eight digs, three blocks and an ace. UH committed a season-low nine attack errors and posted its highest hitting percentage since a .388 performance at UC Riverside on Oct. 21, 2023.
Maria Fernanda Afonso led UCSD with 10 kills.
Gunderson put away all six of her attempts in the first set and the 'Bows hit .571 to take the opener. Gunderson also served up an ace early in a 6-0 UH run that gave the 'Bows a 10-6 lead. UH continued to extend the lead and went up 20-13 when Sylvester and Arquette combined on UH's first block of the match. UCSD got no closer than four and Gunderson closed out the set with her sixth kill.
The 'Bows took control of the second set with a 7-0 run with Arquette on the service line and opened up a 13-6 lead. UCSD chipped into the lead and closed to 21-18 on back-to-back kills by Molly McCluskey. But Reid responded with a kill and a solo block and later put away set point to give UH a 2-0 lead in the match.
UH again took the lead early in the third set and took a 12-8 margin when senior
Morghn Monahan, who made her second career start, scored on a kill and assisted on a block with Gunderson. UCSD went on a five-point run to close to 16-15, but UH later reclaimed command with a 4-1 surge and led 21-17 when Mane landed her second ace of the match. UH earned match point at 24-19 on a Reid solo block and the freshman closed out the match three points later with her 18
th kill.
The Rainbow Wahine will remain in Southern California and face UC Irvine on Oct. 21 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif., to close out their longest road trip of the season.
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