RENO, Nev. – The No. 3 University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team (26-1, 15-0 WAC) swept the Nevada Wolf Pack (13-15, 7-8 WAC) 25-13, 25-20 and 25-22 at Virginia Street Gym to conclude a three-match road trip Sunday, breaking the school record for consecutive sets won. UH has won their last 56 sets this season, breaking the old record of 54, set in 2002.

 

Chanteal Satele had a great match, hitting .524 with 12 kills. Kanani Danielson posted 14 kills and nine digs with Michelle Waber hitting .429 with eight kills in just two sets played. Brittany Hewitt added seven kills, four blocks and .545 hitting percentage while Emily Hartong hit .571 with five kills. Dani Mafua set the potent Hawai'i offense that hit .400 as a team, turning in 36 assists. Elizabeth Ka'aihue ended the night with 16 digs.

 

Nevada opened the match fired up, playing their final home match of the season, scoring the first three points of the night. The Wolf Pack kept that lead until a four-point run, capped by a kill by Hewitt, put Hawai'i ahead 6-5. UN stayed in it until about the halfway point of the set as the Rainbow Wahine scored 13 of the final 16 points, taking it 25-13. The UH offense was on fire in the first set, hitting .517 as a team with 16 kills. Satele (five kills, .714), Waber (five kills, .500) and Hewitt (four kills, .800) made efficient work of the opening set.

 

Hawai'i kept the momentum going to start the second set, jumping ahead 8-3. The Rainbow Wahine kept a comfortable lead throughout, getting it as high as 18-10 and 20-12. Nevada didn't go down without a fight, using a couple runs to pull within four points before a kill by Danielson ended the second set 25-20.

 

UH continued to press on in the third, jumping ahead 5-1 to start. The Pack responded with three points to pull within one at 5-4. Every time Hawai'i would pull away a little, Nevada had an answer, eventually tying it at 17-17 after a 7-1 run. With it tied again at 19-19, the Rainbow Wahine finally put it away, scoring four of the next five to go ahead 23-20. They were able to side out their way to victory from then on as Danielson put away the final kill, completing the 25-22 third set win.

 

The Rainbow Wahine return home to host their WAC finale against Idaho on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. The match will be followed by senior night ceremonies for Mafua and Ka'aihue.