University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics

LAS VEGAS — A wild roller-coaster ride in the desert ended with the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team celebrating a five-set victory over Iowa State for its seventh straight win on Saturday at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas .
 
The Rainbow Wahine outlasted the Cyclones 25-20, 15-25, 25-11, 19-25, 15-11 to wrap up the second day of the Lucky Aces Women's Volleyball Invitational and extend their longest winning streak since winning seven in a row late in the 2023 season.
 
The seventh win in the 2023 run also came against Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and the 'Bows earned their first win over a Big 12 opponent since that match in Eugene, Ore.
 
Appropriately, the 'Bows dealt 10 aces, matching their season high, to improve to 8-2 overall and 2-0 in the tournament.
 
UH's win sets up a duel with longtime rival UCLA for the tournament title in Sunday's finale at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time (11:30 a.m. Hawai'i Time).
 
UH outside hitter Panna Ratkai led the Hawai'i offense with 18 kills, adding six digs and a service ace. Tali Hakas registered 14 kills, eight digs, and two aces, while middle blocker Miliana Sylvester posted eight kills on .304 hitting with three blocks. Middle blocker Rachel Purser contributed six kills and three blocks, and Maëli Cormier added five kills and four blocks.
 
Setter Adrianna Arquette directed the attack with a double-double, recording 40 assists, 12 digs, two kills, and two aces. Libero Victoria Leyva anchored the defense with a team-high 19 digs.
 

'Bows defense digging deep!#GoBows #SISTAHHOOD pic.twitter.com/OsM7e1KtTE

— Hawaii W. Volleyball (@HawaiiWVB) September 20, 2026

The 'Bows and Cyclones traded wild momentum swings in alternating set wins with no lead changes at any point in the first four sets. The first lead change came when UH edged ahead 5-4 in the fifth set. The 'Bows then opened up a three-point lead at 10-7 and held off the Cyclones the rest of the way.
 
Ratkai and Hakas powered UH in the first set with six kills each, and the Rainbow Wahine hit .286 in the set to take the early lead. Iowa State responded by hitting .314 to pull away in the second set.
 

Panna cross-court to close out the first!#GoBows #SISTAHHOOD pic.twitter.com/JCqH5BhTXf

— Hawaii W. Volleyball (@HawaiiWVB) September 20, 2026

 
The Rainbow Wahine answered in the third set, holding Iowa State to a -.074 hitting percentage, and service aces from Leyva and Arquette fueled an 11-2 run. Iowa State extended the match with seven team blocks in the fourth set, and UH went to a fifth set for the fourth time this season.
 
Locked at 6-6 in the deciding fifth set, UH capitalized on three consecutive Cyclone errors to build a 9-6 cushion. Ratkai delivered a clutch service ace to extend the lead to 13-9, and a final Iowa State attack error sealed the 15-11 set victory and the match.

Nayeli Gonzalez led Iowa State with a match-high 19 kills, while Nayeli Ti'a added 15 kills. Rachel Van Gorp collected a match-high 29 digs for the Cyclones.
 
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