HONOLULU, Hawai'i—No. 12 Hawai'i defeated CSU Bakersfield 3-1 Friday night in the opener of a two-match series between the two schools.

The Rainbow Wahine defeated CSUB 25-11 in the first set and 25-14 in the second set. 

"I thought we were a little timid at the start," said CSUB director of volleyball Giovana Melo.

The Roadrunners sped to a 4-0 lead out of the intermission, forcing a Hawai'i timeout.  CSUB extended the lead to 5-1 before the 'Bows went to the current AVCA Division I national Player of the Week, Nikki Taylor, who scored the next three points before being part of a block that tied the match at five.

Carol Grasso's kill returned the serve to the Roadrunners with a kill. A Paige Gettman extended the lead to two with an ace before a Taylor kill gave the ball back to Hawai'i.  Taylor and Annie Mitchem blocked a CSUB attempt to tie the score. A bad set put the Roadrunners into the lead for the third time at 8-7.

The teams traded the next two points before a Mitchem kill tied the match. Tayloer Higgins and Mitchem forced Kelsee Sawyer's first attack error of the match with a block. That was followed by an attack error and an 11-9 Hawai'i lead. CSUB called timeout.  CSUB setter Luiza Martins went on two out of the timeout to get the 'Runners back to within one. Tai Manu-Olevao and Sawyer exchanged kills before Olivia Magill earned the 'Bows a kill. Edithza Urias responded with a kill at 13-12.

A CSUB attack error put the ball into the hands of the Rainbow Wahine. Hawai'i was called for a block error, but Magill again put UH up by two with a kill. Grasso drew CSUB to 15-14 with a kill. The teams both recorded service errors before a Hawai'i hitting error tied the match for the fifth time. CSUB's sixth service error of the match returned the serve to the Rainbow Wahine. Sawyer's 10th kill tied the match again, this time at 16.

CSUB slowed Taylor enough to force back-to-back hitting errors and get the lead back at 19-17. Sawyer's drop shot made it a 4-0 run and gave the Roadrunners a three-point advantage.  Hawai'i got the serve back on a CSUB service error. Taylor went long again to return the serve to the Roadrunners. CSUB again committed a service error to put UH on offense which was followed by a Higgins ace. The

The Roadrunners called timeout and called a play for Sawyer who came up with a kill. A Magill kill made it 22-21 before Hawai'i tied the match on a Manu-Olevao ace. The match was again tied at 23-23 when Grasso gave CSUB its first set point on a kill down the line. A miscommunication on an overpass led to a Manu-Olevao kill. With the score tied at 24, Taylor sent the ball long on her serve. On CSUB's second set point, Katie Dunbar-Lowe put down a UH overpass for the 26-24 victory.

Hawai'i began the fourth set by scoring the first five points as CSUB called timeout.  Sawyer got the Roadrunners on the board with a kill. Taylor responded with a kill of her own.  The Rainbow Wahine scored five of the next six points to go up 10-2.  The Roadrunners would get as close as six in the set (on three separate occasions), but Hawai'i would take the match 25-15.

"They are a great team, but I thought we could have put a little bit more pressure on them," Melo said. "When we played well, we competed against them."

Taylor nearly turned in a triple double as she recorded a match high 20 kills, eight blocks, and six digs. Taylor hit .441 for the match (20-5-34). Magill posted 12 kills and eight blocks. She hit .478 (12-1-23) for the match. Mano- Olevao added 11 kills.

Sawyer was the top Roadrunner offensive player. The 5-10 outside hitter recorded 16 kills and hit .293 for the match (16-4-41). Grasso posted nine kills and eight digs. Martins tallied 33 assists and eight digs. Jocelyn Rodriguez earned a team high 13 digs.

The Rainbow Wahine used their height advantage throughout. Hawai'i, which features 10 players 6-0 or taller (compared to two for CSUB) out blocked the Roadrunners 15-1. The 'Bows out hit the 'Runners .380 to .108.   

CSU Bakersfield (2-9) and the Rainbow Wahine (9-1) will conclude the series Sunday night at 5 p.m. (HDT)/8 p.m. (PDT). The Roadrunners will open the home portion of the 2015 slate on Oct. 8 when CSUB hosts UTRGV at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.

~www.GoRunners.com~