Rainbow Wahine open road trip at Cal State Fullerton

The Rainbow Wahine volleyball team went the distance in a home win over Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 3. They’ll take the lessons of that close call into today’s rematch at Titan Gym in Fullerton, Calif.
UH controlled the first two sets against the Titans at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, but had to survive in five after Cal State Fullerton rallied in the third set and ran away in the fourth. The match remains UH’s lone five-set duel in Big West play this season as the Wahine open their next to last road trip of the regular season.
Cal State Fullerton was voted 10th in the Big West’s preseason poll, but moved entered the week in the middle of the pack at 6-7. The Titans dipped under .500 on Thursday when they were swept by Long Beach State.
The Wahine (14-6, 11-1) began the day tied with UC Santa Barbara for first place in the conference. UCSB plays host to CSU Bakersfield today at the Thunderdome. Both matches start at 4 p.m. Hawaii time.
The UH-Cal State Fullerton match will be shown on ESPN+ with radio coverage on ESPN Honolulu.
UH-Fullerton updates to follow.
SET 3
>> Fullerton opens with a sideout and UH goes on a 6-0 run with Igiede in on two blocks. Timeout Fullerton with UH up 6-1. Wagoner serving for UH.
>> Three Fullerton hitting errors cap UH’s 10-1 run. With UH up 13-6, Westerberg pounds a kill down the line, Ikenaga serves UH’s first ace of the night then sets up Wagoner for a kill. UH up 16-6. Timeout Fullerton.
>> UH maintains a double-digit lead until a 3-0 Fullerton run to make it 19-10. Van Sickle’s 16th kill gives UH a 23-13 lead. A Fullerton error gives UH match point. Westerberg goes off the block to close out a 25-23, 25-19, 25-14 win. Wahine improved to 15-6 overall, 12-1 BWC. Wahine face Long Beach State on Saturday.
>> Van Sickle finishes with 16 kills and 10 digs. Wagoner finishes with 10 kills, 13 digs. Lang 33 assists, 14 digs. Ikenaga 14 digs.

SET 2
>> Back and forth start to the set and Fullerton takes a 13-12 lead on an ace by Lyla Traylor. UH comes back with a block by Williams and a Westerberg kill and leads 15-13 at the media timeout.
>> Van Sickle and Westerberg add kills to a 5-0 UH run and a 17-13 lead. Igiede gets a kill in the middle followed by a solo block and UH leads 22-17. Timeout Fullerton.
>> A double contact on Fullerton gives UH a 23-18 lead and Lang scores on a second touch to give UH set point. After a UH service error, Lang goes wide to Van Sickle, who goes cross court to end the set. UH wins it 25-19 and leads the match 2-0. Van Sickle up to 13 kills. Lang with a double-double with 23 assists, 11 digs. Tayli Ikenaga with 12 digs.

SET 1
>> Starters for Hawaii: OH Brooke Van Sickle, MB Amber Igiede, OH Riley Wagoner, MB Skyler Williams, OH Martyna Leoniak, S Kate Lang, L Tayli Ikenaga.
>> UH struggling for rhythm early and have five hitting errors and two service errors. UH led 8-7 but Fullerton goes on an 8-2 run and leads 15-10 at the media timeout. Tiffany Westerberg in for Leoniak, who had two errors.
>> Brooke Van Sickle puts down her first kill on her eighth swing and Amber Igiede gets a solo block in the middle and UH closes to 18-16. Wahine on a 3-0 run. Timeout Fullerton.
>> Titans answer with a 3-0 run including their fourth block of the set. Timeout UH trailing 21-16. Wahine hitting .103 to CSF’s .273.
>> Van Sickle takes over with three kills in a 4-0 UH run. Wagoner and Igiede with assists. Igiede will be back on the service line after a Fullerton timeout. UH closes to 21-20.
>> UH takes a 22-21 lead with kills by Van Sickle and Williams to cap a 6-0 run. Fullerton rallies back and goes up 23-22 on Gabrielle Barcelos’ tip. Timeout UH.
>> Van Sickle off the hands to tie it up. Westerberg and Williams team up on a block and UH has set point. Lang with two digs to extend a rally and Van Sickle goes cross court to give UH the set 25-23. UH ends the set on a 9-2 run with six kills from Van Sickle.