LIHU‘E — The No. 4 University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (17-1, 7-0 WAC) swept through the Idaho Vandals (10-11, 5-5) 25-20, 25-7 and 25-19 in a match shown nationally on ESPNU at Memorial Gym, Thursday. Kanani Danielson led
LIHU‘E — The No. 4 University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (17-1, 7-0 WAC) swept through the Idaho Vandals (10-11, 5-5) 25-20, 25-7 and 25-19 in a match shown nationally on ESPNU at Memorial Gym, Thursday.
Kanani Danielson led the way, hitting .333 with 15 kills and 11 digs. Chanteal Satele also added 12 kills and five blocks while Brittany Hewitt hit .538 with nine kills and three blocks. Emily Hartong posted eight kills while hitting .389, with Elizabeth Ka‘aihue contributing a match-high 18 digs.
Hawai‘i jumped out early, taking a 5-1 lead to start the first set. The Vandals pulled it back to a three-point deficit on a few occasions before a four-point run pushed the Rainbow Wahine lead to 16-9. Idaho worked their way back into the match, getting within two at 21-19 and 22-20. But Danielson put the team on her back, winning the set 25-20 with a kill after diving into press row to save a ball earlier in the rally.
An early 5-0 run put Hawai‘i ahead 7-2 to start the second set. Ka‘aihue served the Rainbow Wahine on a seven-point run, pushing UH’s advantage to 16-4. After a Vandal point, Mita Uiato then served another seven-point run, getting it to 23-5 before the Rainbow Wahine put it away 25-7.
Idaho showed signs of life to start the third set, going ahead 7-2 to start. UH ran off six of the next seven points to tie it at 8-8. The Vandals took back the lead and continued to hold it until a big 6-1 run by the Rainbow Wahine put them ahead 19-16. Hawai‘i would then run away with it, scoring 13 of the last 17 points in all to take the third set 25-19.
Hawai‘i will now head down to Boise, Idaho, for a match against Boise State today, before ending the road trip at Utah State on Monday.
