Hawai'i
Cal Poly Defeated by No. 11 Hawai'i in Three Sets
9/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Cal Poly volleyball was swept in three sets (25-20, 25-12 and 25-19) by No. 11 Hawai'i on Saturday evening at the Stan Sheriff Center in the Big West Conference opener for the Mustangs. In defeat, freshman outside hitter Adlee Van Winden (pictured) and sophomore outside hitter Raeann Greisen led Cal Poly with 12 kills apiece, while sophomore setter Taylor Nelson provided 26 assists and 11 digs.
Cal Poly fell to 8-4 overall and 0-1 in conference play and UH improved to 12-1 this season and 2-0 in Big West action.
For Van Winden, it was the 11th time during her first 12 collegiate matches that the true freshman recorded a double-digit kill total. Van Winden also provided a match-best 11 digs.
Nikki Taylor led Hawai'i with 12 blocks, while Savanah Kahakai registered 12 digs and Tayler Higgins amassed a match-best 37 assists.
Cal Poly was down by as many as five (16-11) during the opening set, but consecutive block assists by senior outside hitter Hannah Schleis and sophomore middle blocker Savannah Niemen and Van Winded and Niemen enabled Cal Poly to fight back and get within one at 19-18. A kill by Van Winden inched the Mustangs closer at 21-20, but an unforced error by Hawai'i provided the Rainbow Wahine with a 22-20 lead. Hawai'i used two more blocks and a kill by Annie Mitchem to capture the initial set, 25-20. UH secured four service aces in the first frame (Tai Manu-Olevao had three).
Hawai'i led the second set, 9-5, after an attack error by the Mustangs, and the Rainbow Wahine built their lead from there. Taking a 13-5 advantage after four consecutive points (including two blocks), Hawai'i went on a 9-0 run to seize momentum in the middle set. It was all UH the remainder of the second frame, as the Rainbow Wahine went to the locker room with a 25-12 victory and two set lead.
During a third set that featured five ties and two lead changes, Hawai'i grabbed a 3-0 advantage only to have the Mustangs battle back and take a 5-4 lead after a UH service error. A block assist by Nelson and Gruenewald drew the Mustangs even at seven apiece, but Hawai'i built a four-point lead at 14-10 after a kill by Olivia Magill. UH added to its advantage with three straight points, and, after a kill by Kalei Greeley, led the Mustangs 17-10. Down 22-15, Cal Poly collected three of the next four points to draw within 23-18, but it was as close as the Mustangs would get. A block by UH's Magill and Higgins won the third set, 25-19 and completed the sweep for the Rainbow Wahine.
Hawai'i used a three-set attack percentage of .333 in the victory and delivered 10 blocks (six by Magill) to stymie the Mustang attack. Cal Poly committed 22 attack errors on the evening and hit only .106 during the three sets.
Cal Poly returns to action next week when hosting No. 25 Long Beach State at 7 p.m. Friday in the Mott Athletics Center.
