HONOLULU — A balanced and efficient offensive attack and continued stifling defense powered the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team to its fifth straight sweep in a 25-14, 25-14, 25-21 Mountain West Conference victory on Friday at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbow Wahine (13-3, 5-0 Mountain West) remained alone atop the Mountain West standings, winning each of their conference matches in straight sets.
The 'Bows last won 15 consecutive sets in the 2023 season, and their run of five consecutive sweeps marks the longest streak since reeling off eight straight during the 2016 season.
Outside hitter
Cha'lei Reid led the Hawaii offense with a match-high 13 kills
and contributed eight digs and three blocks. Panna Ratkai added 12 kills with just one error to hit .500 for the match and came up with 13 digs in her sixth double-double of the season.
With outside hitter Tali Hakas sidelined due to injury, Maëli Cormier started at opposite and delivered a season-high 10 kills with one error in 15 attacks in a .600 hitting performance.
Setter Adrianna Arquette distributed 36 assists while orchestrating a UH attack that hit a collective .368. Freshman defensive specialist Cameron Holcomb posted a season-high 15 digs to lead a UH defense that held San Jose State (6-10, 1-4) to a .112 hitting percentage. UH has now held its opponent under .200 hitting in 10 straight matches.
After San Jose State took a 7-5 lead in the opening set, Ratkai and Kāhea Moriwaki sparked the 'Bows from the service line in a 9-1 UH run. Victoria Leyva turned in a seven-point service turn, highlighted by four kills from Ratkai, who put away seven kills on 12 attempts without an error in the set. UH hit .432 as a team and Rachel Purser finished off the set.
The second set mirrored the first, as UH stifled the Spartans' offense, holding them to a .073 hitting percentage. Arquette delivered an ace and Holcomb was on the service line for a seven-point run late in the set.
San Jose State offered its strongest resistance in the third set, but Hawaii maintained control with Cormier scoring on all four of her swings in the set and Purser adding four kills. UH hit .324 in the set and closed out the match with a block by Reid and Sylvester.
UH and San Jose State meet in the rematch on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
