Anteaters' Strong Surge Beaten Back By 'Bows
October 31, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine took an unprecedented two-set lead against Hawaii but was unable to hold off the Rainbow Wahine, losing 21-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-7 Friday night at the Bren Center.
The two teams combined for 208 digs, posting 104 digs apiece in a Halloween thriller that was filled with extended rallies. Arden Davis had a career-high 31 digs, spearheading a defensive effort that saw five UCI players reach double-figure digs. The Anteaters, who came into the match tied for the best hitting percentage in the Big West, struggled in that respect and was held to a sub .200 clip in every frame. However, UCI was extremely efficient from behind the service line, committing just four service errors to Hawaii's 13.
Both teams struggled offensively early in the first set but Hawaii was the first to pull away, reeling off four straight points to take a 12-8 lead. The gap stretched to five (14-9) as Taylor Higgins and Olivia Magill sent back an attempt by Arielle Manz. Ella Rosenfeld, who led UCI with five blocks, stuffed Magill as to pull the team to within three at 15-12 and Allison Lee tooled the ball off the block, prompting a UH timeout (15-13). Rosenfeld powered the ball through the Hawaii block on consecutive plays to tie the score at 16-16. Tai Manu-Olevao kept pace with Manz on the slide for the solo block as Hawaii grabbed the two-point lead at 20-18 but a UH service error and a kill by Lee knotted the score again at 20-20. Shelley Anderson then aced Kalei Greeley to give UCI the 21-20 edge and Anderson went to Lee again for the cross-court slam (22-20). Manz delivered with a ball down the middle for set point and Manu-Olevao's attempt went long as UCI won the first set.
UCI took a 3-0 lead in the second as Hannah Nabbout aced Sarah Mendoza but the Rainbow Wahine crashed back into the match as Nikki Taylor and Magill paired up to deny UCI on three plays, highlighting a 6-1 run. The Anteaters chipped away at the deficit and Manz and Victoria Dennis stopped Kalei Adolpho to even the score at 8-8 before three unforced UH errors would give UCI an 11-8 lead. Manz used a variety of shots, hitting the soft lob and then swiping the ball down the middle as UCI took its largest lead of the match at 14-9. UH charged back with a 4-1 run to slice the lead down to one at 14-13 but a service error by Higgins and an attempt by Taylor flew long as the lead opened back up to three (16-13). Leading 20-18, UCI was unable to salvage a broken play on offense but Dennis delivered a key solo block on Adolpho (21-18). The Wahine responded with a 3-1 run to come to within one (22-21) but Pickrell tucked a shot down the line (23-21) and Lee and Rosenfeld denied Greeley (24-22). It would Pickrell again, as the outside hitter delivered one of her 16 kills to stake the Anteaters to a 2-0 set lead.
Hawaii, which had trailed 71-59 in digs through the first three matches, picked up the defensive in the fourth, out-digging UCI 35-28. That effort led to a .228 hitting percentage by the Wahine, who reeled off five straight points to take a 13-8 lead. However, the Anteaters answered with a four-point rally to trail by one (13-12). Following a UH timeout, Hawaii matched UCI's 4-0 run with one of its own as Greeley brushed the Anteater fingertips for a kill to cap the run. UCI battled but could get no closer than two (16-14) and Hawaii would lead by as many as seven (23-16) thanks to a 7-2 run. A running shot by Dennis would go long (24-18) and the 'Bows would force a fifth set as Manu-Olevao banged the ball off the UCI block.
UCI was unable to establish a rhythm in the fifth against the 'Bows, whose opening salvo was a 3-0 rally. A service error by Savanah Kahakai put UCI on the board (3-1) and a kill from Manz cut the lead in half at 4-2. Lee's service winner brought the Anteaters to within one at 6-5 but Hawaii rode a .611 hitting percentage in the frame and would force the side change with an 8-5 advantage. The Anteaters could not contain Taylor, who converted five of six attempts in the frame as UH put together a 7-0 run that put them ahead, 12-6. The lead proved to be insurmountable and Magill dropped a shot over the Anteater block to give UH match point before Taylor punched the ball through the UCI block for the game-winning point.
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