IRVINE, Calif. — The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team closed a three-match road trip with a loss at UC Irvine on Tuesday at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif.
 
Playing their third match in five days, the Rainbow Wahine (7-13, 3-6 Big West) struggled from the start and saw a lead in the third set slip away as the host Anteaters (8-13, 3-6) picked up the 25-7, 25-17, 25-20 win.
 
After posting its highest hitting percentage of the season in a win at UC San Diego on Saturday, UH hit a season-low negative-.041 in Tuesday's match due in part to UC Irvine's 11 blocks.
 
Senior Morghn Monahan led the Rainbow Wahine with seven kills, the highest total in her UH career, while hitting a team-best .357. Fellow senior Tyla Reese Mane added six kills. Libero Victoria Leyva finished with 11 digs and had one of UH's four aces. Bri Gunderson was in on three of the 'Bows' four blocks.
 
Kendra Duffey led UCI with a match-high 11 kills, Ally Bolden finished with eight and the Anteaters won their third straight in the series with UH.
 
UC Irvine jumped out to a 15-1 lead with a 5-for-8 start while UH had 10 attack errors, five coming on Anteater blocks. UCI continued to pull away and UH was held to single digits in a non-fifth set for the first time since Aug. 30, 2024 against SMU.
 
Cha'lei Reid opened the second set with an ace, but a block and two more UH errors gave the Anteaters a 4-1 lead. UC Irvine opened up a 15-8 cushion with a 6-1 run and led by at least six the rest of the way to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
UH opened the third set with a 3-0 run including an ace from Gunderson and went up 11-5 when Leyva delivered an ace. After a center-line violation negated a UH point, UC Irvine went on a six-point run to take the lead. Another four-point surge pushed UCI ahead 18-14 and the Anteaters remained in control through match point.
 
The Rainbow Wahine return home to face Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. First serve at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center is set for 7 p.m. The match will be preceded by an alumnae match at 4 p.m.