HONOLULU — Career-best performances throughout the lineup helped power the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team to a dramatic five-set win over UC Riverside on Friday at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbow Wahine (5-7, 1-0 Big West) twice came back from a set down to open their farewell season in the Big West with a 23-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-17, 15-13 win over the Highlanders (4-8, 0-2).
Setter
Adrianna Arquette posted the program's first triple-double since 2018 with a career-high 11 kills and 15 digs to go along with 41 assists and closed out the match with a walk-off ace. The sophomore became the first UH player to hit double figures in all three categories since Norene Iosia pulled off the feat against Baylor on Nov. 29, 2018.
Libero
Victoria Leyva also set a new career high with 29 digs to lead a defensive effort that came up with a total of 80 digs to help UH improve to 34-1 in the all-time series with UC Riverside.
Outside hitter
Cha'lei Reid put away a team-high 15 kills, served up five aces and had 13 digs in her second double-double of her freshman season. Middle blocker
Miliana Sylvester added 13 kills against one error to hit .500 on the night and was in on four of UH's nine blocks.
With outside hitters
Tali Hakas and
Stella Adeyemi not available due to injuries, the 'Bows rolled out a new-look starting lineup with
Bri Gunderson moving from middle blocker to opposite, and sophomore middle
Maddie Way and outside hitter
Ravyn Dash making their second starts of the season.
Gunderson finished with 10 kills and Way and Dash contributed nine kills each in their most productive performances with the program while combining to hit .444.
Sophia Ewalefo led UC Riverside with 16 kills and 15 digs and Andrea Brewer added 14 kills for the Highlanders.
The teams traded the lead four times in an opening set that featured 13 ties. UH edged ahead 23-22 on kills by Way and Reid, but a UH service error and an attack error gave the Highlanders set point. UCR then won an extended rally to take the set. The Highlanders hit .382 in the set to offset UH's .359 performance and won a set in Honolulu for the first time since 2015.
The 'Bows answered in the second as UCR cooled off to hit .065. Arquette did double duty in hitting in the front row and sharing setting duties with
Audrey Hollis, who finished with 13 assists. Arquette put away three kills and had seven assists in the set while Dash went 4-for-4 to help UH pull away to even the match.
UCR went on a 3-0 run to break a 14-14 tie and held the lead deep into the set. The Highlanders scrambled to win a rally and opened up a 23-18 lead, but UH reeled off the next three points to close to 23-21 on an ace from Gunderson. But UCR answered with a block and an ace to take the set and the lead in the match.
UH responded again in the fourth and took am 11-4 lead when Reid fired back-to-back aces. She added another ace to push the margin to 21-13 and UH went to a fifth set for the fourth time this season.
UCR jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the race to 15, but UH went on a 7-1 run to move ahead. Reid drilled her fifth ace to open up an 11-7 cushion, but UCR later went on a five-point surge to tie the set at 13-13. Dash scored off an assist from Leyva and Arquette ended the drama with her ace into the middle of the court.
Hawai'i continues the opening weekend of conference play on Saturday when the 'Bows take on UC Davis. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
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