Women's Volleyball Faces UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton to Open Big West Play - University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics (2024)

Women's Volleyball 09.25.2024

HONOLULU — Coming off its first road trip of the season, the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team returns to SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center to open the Big West season with matches against UC Irvine on Friday, Sept. 27 and Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Sept. 28. UH embarks on its 23^rd season as a member of the Big West at 6-4 overall, including a 6-1 mark in Mānoa this season.

MATCHES 11 & 12: UC IRVINE | CAL STATE FULLERTON
Schedule				Friday, Sept. 27:UC Irvinevs. Hawai'i, 7 p.m. HT Saturday, Sept. 28:Cal State Fullertonvs. Hawai'i, 7 p.m. HT
Location				SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) - Honolulu, O'ahu
Television				Spectrum OC16 —Ch. 16 (SD) / 1016 (HD) Kanoa Leahey (PxP), Chris McLachlin (Color) Pregame/Postgame: Scott Robbs, Lisa Strand, Ryan Kalei Tsuji
Live Stream				ESPN+ (Blacked out in Hawai'i) —UC Irvine | Cal State Fullerton
Radio				UH Games on ESPN Honolulu (1420 AM / 92.7 FM) — Tiff Wells (PxP)
Audio Stream				espnhonolulu.com
Live Stats				UC Irvine | Cal State Fullerton
Tickets				ETicketHawaii.com
Promotions				Friday (Sept. 27):ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Night – A Celebration of Aloha! •Raising Cane'sis turning up the excitement for 'Ōlelo Hawaii Night with fabulous prizes throughout the match! • This is the second installment of theMixed Plate Series in which UH Athletics proudly celebratesthe unique melting pot of cultures that makeHawaiʻi truly special. September isHawaiian History Month, and we're honoring the incredible legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalaniand Hawaii's rich cultural heritage. The match will be announced in 'Ōlelo Hawaii in recognition of this special month. Show yourAlohaspirit by wearing your finestAloha apparel! Saturday (Sept. 28): VolleyPaws Day • American Savings Bankis the sponsor ofVolleyPaws Day, wherethey will give away 500 clear bagsandaward fantastic prizesthroughout thematch. •As part of the celebration, theHawaiian Humane Societyand some of its four-legged fans will be featured during the match. Adopters from the Hawaiian Humane Society can enjoy 50% off select adult tickets (Upper level, in select areas). To redeem the discount at theSimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center Box Office, adopters must present an adoption certificate (past or present, digital or hardcopy). Supplies are limited and other restrictions may apply.
Game Day Information				SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center Game Day Information page
Game Day Rosters				CLICK HERE (PDF)
Game Notes				Hawai'i | UCIrvine | Cal State Fullerton
Social Media				@HawaiiWVB| #HawaiiWVB|#GoBows|@HawaiiWVB |Facebook

HAWAI'I RAINBOW WAHINE (6-4,0-0Big West)Head Coach:Robyn Ah Mow (Seventh Season)
Record at UH: 138-49
Big West Record: 93-13

UC IRVINE ANTEATERS(7-5, 1-0 Big West)Head Coach:Ashlie Hain (126-124, ninth season)
Series record: UH leads, 46-1
Streak:UH won 7
Last meeting:UH 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-16), Nov. 10, 2023; Irvine, Calif.

CAL STATE FULLERTON TITANS(4-7, 0-1 Big West)Head Coach:Nicole Vargas Polster (31-62, fourth season)
Series record: UH leads, 49-0
Streak:UH won 49
Last meeting:UH 3-1(23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-14), Nov. 11, 2023;Fullerton, Calif.

'BOWS NOTES

• The Rainbow Wahine dropped all three matches on last week's road trip, falling in five sets at UNLV and taking a set against No. 8 Texas and No. 20 Baylor in four-set losses last weekend in Texas.
• The Rainbow Wahine enter the conference season as the defending champions after sweeping through the inaugural Big West Championship last year in Long Beach, Calif. UH won the regular-season title the previous three seasons and have 13conference titles in 22 years of membership in the Big West (previously the PCAA).
• UH outside hitter Caylen Alexander picked up her second straight Big West Offensive Player of the Week award on Monday after posting 61 kills during UH's three-match road trip.
• Alexander entered the week second in the nation in total kills (229) and total points (253.5), fourth in kills per set (4.98), sixth in points per set (5.51). She leads the Big West in each of those categories.
• Alexander has put away at least 20 kills in seven of UH's 10 matches this season and has eight double-doubles.
• Setter Kate Lang has moved up to seventh on UH's career assists chart in her senior season.She passed Jennifer Carey (3,540, 1999-02) during the OUTRIGGER Invitational and enters the week with 3,664 career assists and isaveraging 10.26 assists per set.
• Lang has five double-doubles this season and posted the 40th of her career against Baylor on Sept. 21.
• Freshman Miliana Sylvester has started all 10 matches and has five double-digit kill performances with a high of 15 against UNLV. She leads the regulars with a .317 hitting percentage and tops the team with 31 total blocks, including five solo.
• Tali Hakas has four double-digit kill performances andhas also made an impact defensively. She's had double-digit digs in six matches and is second on the team with 117 total digs and 2.54 per set.
• Tayli Ikenaga passed the 1,000-digs mark for her career in the second set against UNLVon Sept. 17. She leads the team and ranks seventh in the Big West with 3.65 digs per set.
• UH has played at least four sets in all 10 matches this season. The 'Bows have played 46 out of a possible 50 sets with six matches going to a fifth set. UH is 4-2 in five-set matches.
• UC Irvine opened the Big West season with a four-set win over Cal State Fullerton (25-23, 19-25, 25-15, 25-14) on Tuesday in Fullerton, Calif.

THE MATCHUPSUC IRVINE

• UH leads the all-time series with the Anteaters 46-1.The series began on Oct. 31, 1975, a UH 11-5, 11-1 victory
• UH has won the last seven meetings with UC Irvine and swept both of last year's matches.
• UC Irvine earned its lone win in the series on Oct. 4, 2019 when the Anteaters pulled off a reverse sweep at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center (11-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16, 15-13).
• UC Irvine coach Ashlie Hain is in her ninth season leading the Anteaters and has a career record of 126-124.
• UC Irvine enters the match leading the Big West with 2.58 blocks per set and 16.74 points per set and has held opponents to a conference-low .170 hitting percentage.
• The Anteaters posted a season-high 17 blocks in a four-set win over Cal State Fullerton in Tuesday's conference opener.
• Middle blocker Ella Gardiner leads the Big West with 51 total blocks and Soana Leaea tops the conference with 1.26 blocks per set.
• Hunter Riedl leads the UCI attack with 3.08 kills per set, good for eighth in the Big West.
• UC Irvine will host this year's Big West Championship, set for Nov. 27-30 at the Bren Events Center.

CAL STATE FULLERTON

• UH leads the series with the Titans 49-0. The series began on Nov. 5, 1982, a 15-5, 15-7 UH victory.
• UH swept Cal State Fullerton in the Titans' visit to Mānoa last season (25-18, 25-10, 25-14) and went to four sets in the rematch in Fullerton (23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-14).
• Nicole Vargas Polster is in her fourth season as Cal State Fullerton's head coach and has a career record of 31-62.
• UC Irvine went 4-6 in nonconference play and split its matches with Grand Canyon (lost 3-0) and Cal Baptist (won 3-0) in the Big West/WAC Challenge last week.
• The Titans enterthe weekendleading the Big West with 13.38kills per set and 12.27 assists per set.
• Outside hitter Lolo Fonua leads Cal State Fullerton's offense with 3.04 kills per set, followed by Lyla Traylor with 2.89.
• Libero/defensive specialist Ashley Chacon ranks sixthin the Big West with 3.73digs per set.

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