Box Score
RUSTON, La. –The No. 6 University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (14-1, 4-0 WAC) swept through the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (9-8, 0-3) 25-17, 25-14 and 25-23 at the Thomas Assembly Center Friday.
Kanani Danielson hit .353 with 14 kills to lead UH.
Brittany Hewitt continued her great play on the trip, hitting .714 with five kills and three blocks in just two sets of play.
Michelle Waber hit .417 with five kills with
Elizabeth Ka'aihue leading the team with 16 digs.
Dani Mafua set UH to victory, posting 30 assists, six digs and four kills on her only four attempts.
After spotting the Lady Techsters a 2-1 lead, Mafua served the Rainbow Wahine on a four-point run, getting it to 5-2. A 5-1 run later in the set got it to 11-6. Hawai'i kept rolling, getting it to 18-11 before taking the first set 25-17. The UH offense had it going in the first set, hitting .439 with 21 kills as a team.
Tech opened a 3-1 lead to start the second set, only to see a 5-1 run by UH give the Rainbow Wahine a 6-4 edge. Three points by the Lady Techsters gave them back the lead at 7-6. UH took back the lead then ran with it, using a nine-point spurt to get the double-digit advantage at 19-9. Hawai'i ended the second set with seven blocks, taking it 25-14.
Head Coach
Dave Shoji started a new lineup for the third set, putting in
Alexis Forsythe and
Kristiana Tuaniga in the middle,
Emily Hartong and
Kaela Goodman as outside hitters and
Mita Uiato as the setter. A couple aces by Goodman put Hawai'i ahead 7-4 early. But LTU would keep fighting, using a three-point run to tie it at 12-12 before taking the lead at 14-13. The two teams went back and forth until a 5-0 run by the Rainbow Wahine made it 22-18. Tech held off Hawai'i long enough to force a late timeout by Shoji at 24-23. But Danielson put it away, putting away a kill down the pipe to finish the set 25-23.
The Rainbow Wahine will now have a break, as they won't play for 14 days before hosting San Jose State on Friday, Oct. 15, at the Stan Sheriff Center.
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