HONOLULU – The No. 4 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (4-0) came back to defeat the Michigan State Spartans (4-1) 25-18, 31-33, 24-26, 25-20 and 15-11 in front of a crowd of 6,024 in the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center Friday.

 

Kanani Danielson tied a career-high with 32 kills, hitting .338 with eight digs and three blocks. Brittany Hewitt added 10 kills, seven blocks and two aces while Emily Hartong had 12 kills and three blocks. Dani Mafua set the UH offense, posting 65 assists, 13 digs and five blocks while Elizabeth Ka'aihue had 19 digs to lead all the Rainbow Wahine. Emily Maeda also chimed in 10 digs.

 

Michigan State jumped out to a few early two-point leads before a 6-1 Hawai'i run gave the Rainbow Wahine a 15-11 edge at the first media timeout. The Spartan pulled within two before Hawai'i ran away with it, taking the first set 25-18. UH had a great set offensively, hitting .400 with 17 kills.

 

The Spartans pushed ahead 9-4 to start the second set. A block by Hewitt and Mafua got it back to 12-10, but MSU kept pushing, making it 19-13 to force a Shoji timeout. UH cut it down before a timely four-point run forced a tie at 22-22. After trading a couple points, Michigan State took their first set point at 24-23. The teams traded sideouts before a Michelle Waber kill and a kill by Danielson from the back row gave UH their first set point at 26-25. MSU fought off five set points before taking the second set 33-31.

 

Hawai'i took control early in the third set as three Hartong kills sparked a 7-1 UH run to go ahead 12-5. The Rainbow Wahine got it to 15-8 before a ferocious 6-1 run cut it back to 16-14. MSU would tie it a few times, even taking the lead at 21-20. A big ace by the Hewitt capped a three-point run to make put UH ahead 23-21. Hawai'i got to set point at 24-22. But the Spartans reeled off four points in a row, taking the set 26-24.

 

MSU jumped out early, taking some big leads before pushing to 12-7 to force a Shoji timeout. The adjustments in the break worked, as UH ran off six points on the serve of Ka'aihue, putting the Rainbow Wahine ahead 13-12. After trading points for a while, Waber had two kills bracketing an ace by Hewitt, giving Hawai'i the 20-16 advantage. The Spartans couldn't get it within three from then on as UH took the 25-20 set victory.

 

Hawai'i opened the fifth and decisive set with a 4-1 edge before two MSU points brought it back to 4-3. Waber had timely back-to-back kills to cap a three-point UH run, pushing the Rainbow Wahine ahead 8-4. The Spartans scored three in a row to get within a point before Hawai'i regained control. A 4-1 run by UH made it 12-8, forcing a MSCU timeout. The Rainbow Wahine were then able to just side out the rest of the way, taking the fifth set 15-11.

 

In the first match of the day, USC swept through New Mexico 25-19, 25-19 and 25-20. The Rainbow Wahine will face New Mexico at 7 p.m. after the Trojans take on the Spartans in the first match of the day at 5 p.m.