HONOLULU – The No. 5 University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (12-1, 2-0 WAC) swept through the Nevada Wolf Pack (6-7, 0-1) 25-19, 25-18 and 25-20 in front of a crowd of 6,032 at the Stan Sheriff Center Friday.

 

Emily Hartong had a career night, hitting .714 with 11 kills. Kanani Danielson added a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs while Elizabeth Ka'aihue had a season-high 22 digs, including 12 in the first set alone. Chanteal Satele added nine kills and a .375 hitting percentage while Brittany Hewitt went for four kills, four blocks and three aces.

 

Hawai'i came out firing, scoring the first six points of the first set. An ace by Mafua got it to 9-1 before Nevada started to get back into it. The Wolf Pack won a couple of long rallies in the middle of the set that helped them pull within a point at 16-15. UH answered with a four-point run, highlighted by three Satele kills, and never looked back, taking the first set 25-19.

 

The Rainbow Wahine ran off four points early in the second set to go ahead 4-1. After the Pack were able to pull it back to 5-4, UH ran off 10 of the next 12 points, opening up a 15-6 advantage. Nevada responded with the next five points, pulling it back to 15-11. But Hawai'i wouldn't let them get any closer, taking the second set 25-18.

 

Nevada started the third set with a 6-2 edge. An ace by Hewitt capped a 6-2 run by the Rainbow Wahine, tying the score at 8-8. Hawai'i would jump out to a couple of five-point leads, but the Pack kept sticking around. But after letting Nevada within two at 21-19, UH took control, as a kill by Hartong finished it off 25-20.

 

Hawai'i will next go on their first road trip of the season, playing at New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech on Wednesday, Sept. 29, and Friday, Oct. 1. The match at NMSU will be televised live on ESPNU at 8 p.m. MT (4 p.m. HT).