HONOLULU — Proficiency and efficiency in the middle helped the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team continue its current hot streak in a four-set win over CSU Bakersfield on Sunday at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
UH middle blockers
Miliana Sylvester and
Bri Gunderson combined for 24 kills, tying for team-high honors with 12 each, while hitting .439 between them and the Rainbow Wahine completed a sweep of their homestand with a 25-11, 20-25, 25-18, 25-14 victory over the Roadrunners.
The 'Bows picked up their third straight win to improve to 11-14 overall and evened their record in Big West play at 7-7 to move into a tie with CSUN for fifth place in the conference standings, one game ahead of seventh place UC Irvine.
Along with their offensive production, Sylvester and Gunderson were in on 12 of UH's 13 blocks as the 'Bows put down double-digit blocks for the ninth time this season and the third time in the last four matches.
Outside hitter
Cha'lei Reid added 11 kills and
Tyla Reese Mane finished with nine.
Ravyn Dash put away six kills with four coming in the fourth set, including match point.
Setter
Adrianna Arquette posted her ninth double-double of the season with 43 assists and 14 digs and served up two aces. Libero
Victoria Leyva extended her streak of double-digit dig performances to eight straight matches with a match-high 16. She also fired three aces on Sunday, giving her seven for the weekend.
Freshman
Kahea Moriwaki had three aces in a seven-point service turn late in the fourth set to set a career best and fellow freshman defensive specialist
Jaci Miyasaki tied her season high with 13 digs.
The Rainbow Wahine scored the first four points of the match with Gunderson in on two blocks and Leyva landing an ace just inside the end line. UH went on a 6-1 run with four attackers contributing kills to extend the lead to 14-6. The margin grew to double digits at 17-7 on a block by Sylvester and Reid. UH hit .407 in the set led by Gunderson's four kills on .500 hitting.
CSUB opened the second set with a 4-0 run but UH's defense sparked a comeback and the 'Bows tied the set at 6-6 on a block by Sylvester and Arquette. CSUB went back up with a 8-1 run to take a 14-7 lead. The Roadrunners answered UH's comeback bids and closed out the set to even the match.
UH took an 11-7 lead in the third set when Arquette fired back-to-back aces. Leyva delivered her third ace and Gunderson hammered a kill in a 4-0 run that extended the UH lead to 16-9. The 'Bows remained in control and closed out the set with Gunderson and Reid teaming on UH's 11
th block followed by Gunderson's 11
th kill to give UH a 2-1 lead in the match.
CSUB took an early lead in the fourth set, but UH went on a 6-1 run to take a 12-8 lead in the set. The 'Bows then broke away with Moriwaki's run from the service line highlighted by her three aces and Dash punctuated the win with a kill on aloha ball for the second straight match.
The Rainbow Wahine embark on their final road trip of the regular season this week and face UC Santa Barbara on Friday and Cal Poly on Saturday.
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