HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team opened the program's new era in victorious fashion with a four-set win over Georgia Southern in head coach Joshua Walker's debut Friday at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Tali Hakas announced her return from an injury-shortened 2025 season with a match-high 15 kills, and setter
Adrianna Arquette nearly set two career highs with 48 assists and 17 digs to help the Rainbow Wahine fend off the Eagles 25-18, 25-20, 17-25, 25-18 on the opening night of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic.
Middle blocker
Miliana Sylvester opened her junior year with 13 kills while hitting .391 and libero
Victoria Leyva anchored the back row with 19 digs. Outside hitter
Panna Ratkai posted a double-double in her UH debut with 10 kills and 11 digs while firing four aces.
After controlling the first two sets of Walker's head coaching career, the 'Bows dropped the third set then responded by hitting .419 in the fourth to earn the program's 40
th opening night win. Maëli Cormier came off the bench in the third set and sparked the 'Bows in the fourth with six kills on eight error-free attempts. Arquette tied her career high in digs, finished one assist shy of her career best and put down her fourth kill of the night on match point.
Hakas, who played last season's first three matches before having shoulder surgery, put away seven kills on 11 swings to power the 'Bows to the opening set win. Arquette and Ratkai fired aces to help UH build an 18-12 lead and UH remained in control to take the lead in the match.
Ratkai delivered two more aces early in the second set and UH took a 15-12 lead midway through. Georgia Southern closed to 20-19 before UH pulled away again with a 4-0 run. Ratkai landed her fourth ace of the night to push UH to set point and Hakas' 11
th kill gave the 'Bows a 2-0 lead in the match.
UH faced its largest deficit of the match when Georgia Southern took a 17-11 lead in the third set. The Eagles went on to close out the set to extend the match to the fourth.
UH went up 18-14 in the fourth and Cormier hammered two kills in a 5-1 UH run to close out the match.
UH's win on Friday sets up a Saturday showdown with No. 21 Baylor, which swept San Diego in Friday's tournament opener. Walker spent the last four years on the Bears' coaching staff before being hired at UH in June.
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