LARAMIE, Wyo. — A commanding blocking performance powered the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team to a thrilling five-set Mountain West Conference victory over Wyoming in the opener of a two-match series on Thursday at the UniWyo Sports Complex in Laramie, Wyo.
The Rainbow Wahine (15-3, 7-0 Mountain West) posted 21.5 blocks on their way to the 25-13, 19-25, 26-28, 25-18, 17-15 comeback win over the host Cowgirls (10-8, 3-4). UH fittingly ended the night with a block by
Panna Ratkai on match point and the 'Bows' total marked the program's highest since a 21.5-block night against San Diego on Aug. 27, 2010.
Facing their toughest conference test to date, the Rainbow Wahine survived 28 tie scores and 14 lead changes to extend their overall winning streak to seven matches, matching their longest run of the season. UH dropped a set for the first time in Mountain West play, battled back from a 2-1 deficit in the match, and survived a Wyoming match point before pulling out their fourth five-set win of the season.
Sophomore outside hitter
Cha'lei Reid led the UH attack with a match-high 16 kills while adding six digs and four blocks. Ratkai contributed 14 kills and 11 digs to record her team-leading seventh double-double of the season, and was in on five blocks.
Middle blocker
Miliana Sylvester recorded her first career double-double with 11 kills and 13 blocks, UH's first kills-blocks double-double since Amber Igiede had 11 kills and 10 blocks against UCLA on Sept. 4, 2022.
Opposite Maëli Cormier added 12 kills while hitting .321. Libero
Victoria Leyva came up with 20 digs, marking her fourth match with at least 20 this season. Setter
Adrianna Arquette came up with a career-high 19 digs to go along with 41 assists in her sixth double-double of the season. Defensive specialist
Cameron Holcomb contributed 13 digs to UH's season-high 83.
UH held Wyoming to a .075 hitting percentage and held an opponent under .200 for the 12
th straight match. Paige Lauterwasser led three Cowgirls in double figures with 13 kills.
Hawai'i surged out of the gate in the first set, hitting an efficient .556 and putting down 7.5 blocks to take early control. The Rainbow Wahine committed just two attack errors in the set and a service ace by Leyva capped the opener.
Wyoming responded in the second set to hand UH its first set loss in conference play this season and end the 'Bows' streak of 19 consecutive sets won. The Cowgirls then won an extended battle in a third set that included eight ties and four lead changes to threaten to snap UH's overall winning streak.
UH reclaimed momentum in the fourth set, racking up seven team blocks to stifle the Wyoming attack and holding the Cowgirls to a .047 hitting percentage to force the fifth set.
In a frantic final frame with 11 tie scores, Wyoming tied the set at 13-13 on a kill by Reagan Sharp and earned match point on a UH attack error. A service error then forced deuce and UH had a shot at match point denied when an attack went long. Arquette gave UH another match point with a kill on a second touch, and Ratkai ended the marathon with UH's final block of the night.
The Rainbow Wahine and Cowgirls conclude their series on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Mountain Time (2:30 p.m. Hawai'i Time).
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