Women’s Volleyball Returns For Pivotal Matches vs. Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton

HONOLULU–The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team (14-6, 11-1 Big West) returns home to host a pair of pivotal matches against Long Beach State (14-6, 9-3 BW) on Friday, Nov. 4 and Cal State Fullerton (12-8, 6-6 BW) on Saturday, Nov. 5. First serve for both matches at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center is slated for 7:00 p.m. HT. After two road wins last week, the Rainbow Wahine remain alone atop The Big West standings with an 11-1 conference record. 
 

RAINBOW WAHINE VOLLEYBALL – WEEK #11 INFORMATION
Opponent | Date | Time				LONG BEACH STATE | Friday, Nov. 4, 2022 | 7:00 p.m. HT CAL STATE FULLERTON | Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 | 7:00 p.m. HT
Location				SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) – Honolulu, O’ahu
Tickets				ETicketHawaii.com
Promotions				Coca-Cola is the sponsor of Friday’s match and will distribute 300 clear Coca-Cola fanny packs at Gate A and award a Coca-Cola Zero Cooler with Umbrella to the winner of the “Enter to Win” contest.  Hawaiian Financial Federal Credit Union is the sponsor on Saturday and will distribute 1,500 UH rainbow sunglasses at Gate A. Visit the Hawaiian Financial FCU table for the opportunity to design your own “fanboard” sign to use during the match.  “Family Pack” Promotion: A “Family Pack” promotion is available for the remaining women’s volleyball regular season home matches. With the purchase of two adult tickets, fans will receive one youth (ages 4-high school) ticket free for every youth ticket purchased (maximum of two free tickets). “Family Pack” tickets can be purchased only at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center Box Office in advance and or on game day.  Group Rate Packages: Groups of 24 or more qualify for group rate pricing. Group tickets are available for purchase online at www.etickethawaii.com.
Game Day Information				SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center Game Day Information page
Game Day Rosters				CLICK HERE (PDF)
Television				Spectrum OC16 – Ch. 16 (SD) or Ch. 1016 (HD) – Kanoa Leahey (Play-by-Play), Chris McLachlin (Color); Scott Robbs, Lisa Strand, Kirsten Sibley (Pre/Post Game)
Live Stream				ESPN+ (Blacked out in Hawai’i) | Friday – LBSU  |  Saturday – CSF
Radio				FRIDAY – ESPN Honolulu | 1420 AM / 92.7 FM | Tiff Wells (play-by-play) SATURDAY – CBS 1500 | 1500 AM | Tiff Wells (play-by-play)
Live Audio Stream				FRIDAY – ESPNHonolulu.com  | Sideline Hawaii App SATURDAY – cbssportshawaii.com | Sideline Hawaii App
Live Stats				Friday – LBSU SATURDAY – CSF
Game Notes				Hawai’i  |  Long Beach State  |  Cal State Fullerton
Social Media				@HawaiiWVB  | #HawaiiWVB #GoBows | @HawaiiWVB  | Facebook

HAWAI’I VS. LONG BEACH STATE (14-6, 9-3 BW)Overall series record: UH leads 40-18-1
Streak: UH has won last 10
Head Coach: Tyler Hildebrand (First Season)

• Since UH defeated The Beach on Oct. 1 in four sets, LBSU has been on fire, winning their last seven matches–including five that went to five sets. Last week, LBSU swept CSU Bakersfield on Friday and then edged out Cal Poly in a hard fought five sets at home.
• In the first round of Big West action, Hawai’i defeated Long Beach State in four at the Walter Pyramid, 25-20, 25-21, 15-25, 25-19. Riley Wagoner led the ‘Bows with 16 kills while setter Kate Lang posted a double-double with 32 assists and a team-high 13 digs.
• Last year under former head coach Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer, UH swept The Beach at home (10/1/21), 26-024, 25-16, 25-21. On the road, the ‘Bows won in four sets at the Walter Pyramid (11/6/21), 25-21, 25-11, 21-25, 25-19.
• The only tie in Rainbow Wahine history came against the Beach at the UCLA/NIVT Tournament in Los Angeles, Calif on Nov. 4, 1978 (12-15, 15-6).
• In the storied history between the Rainbow Wahine and The Beach, UH won the firrst 16 meetings against LBSU from 1977-1989. Then Long Beach State dominated 11 straight matches. The Beach snuffed out UH’s season in five of six NCAA Tournament appearances (1989, ’90, ’91, 9’3, ’94). Hawai’i was finally able to defeat The Beach in an NCAA Tournament in 2006’s second round at the Walter Pyramid, 3-1.

HAWAI’I VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON (12-8, 6-6 BW)Overall series record: UH leads 46-0
Streak: UH has won 46
Head Coach: Nicole Vargas Polster (Second Season)

• Last week, Cal State Fullerton split their home matches, falling to Cal Poly 3-0, but bouncing back a night latere to hold off CSU Bakersfield, 3-1.
• Early in the Big West season, Hawai’i swept the Titans on the road in September, 25-20, 25-15, 25-13. Amber Igiede put down a match high 14 kills with a match-high four blocks and a service ace. Riley Wagoner and Caylen Alexander both added 10 kills apiece.
• Last year in Honolulu, UH held off the Titans in five sets, 25-13, 25-20, 25-27, 13-25, 15-10. On the road, the ‘Bows swept Cal State Fullerton (25-23, 25-19, 25-14).• UH and UCSB have split their last six matches with the Rainbow Wahine winning three and the Gauchos winning three.

HEAD COACH ROBYN AH MOWOverall record: 100-35 (Fifth Season)
At Hawai’i: Same
Big West: 71-9 (Fifth Season)

• With Hawai’i’s two road wins last week at UC Riverside and UC Davis, Robyn Ah Mow won her 100th win as head coach of the Rainbow Wahine. The ‘Bows came back from a slow start in the first set to rally to down the Aggies in five sets to secure the milestone win.
• Ah Mow, who is in her fifth season (sixth overall – BWC did not play in 2020 due to COVID-19) was voted BWC Coach of the Year the last two seasons (Co-Head Coach in 2019) and was named the 2019 AVCA Pacific North All-Region Coach of the Year. The two-time first team AVCA All-American and three time Olympian setter took over the program following legendary head coach Dave Shoji. Ah Mow has led her alma mater to back-to-back Big West titles. Last year, the ‘Bows upset SEC runner-up, No. 24 Mississippi State in the NCAA First Round (in Seattle, Wash.) in a five set thriller, 17-25, 25-14, 25-13, 21-25, 15-11. Ah Mow led UH to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, extending UH’s streak to 28-straight and 39 overall NCAA appearances.

LAST TIME OUT …

• Last week, Hawai’i swept UC Riverside on the road on Friday, 25-21, 25-15, 25-15. UH was cruising in the first set, but the Highlanders went on a 7-to-1 run to knot the score at 19-19. UH would regroup to take six of the last eight points to win the first set, 25-21. Amber Igiede led UH with a match-high 11 kills with eight blocks–including three solo that tied her career-high. Braelyn Akana put down 10 kills and was efficient on offense, hitting .692 (10-1-13).
• At UC Davis, the Aggies came out the gates fast, taking the first set easily, 25-16. UH closed to within two points twice, but both times UCD responded by extending their lead. Hawai’i came roaring back in Set 2, winning 25-12. UH edged out UCD in a marathon third set, 28-26 as the Aggies staved off three set points before the ‘Bows could end the freame. In the fourth, The Aggies rallied to force a fifth set which UH won 15-9 going away.
• The win at UC Davis marked Robyn Ah Mow‘s 100th career win as UH’s head coach.
• At UCD, Igiede pounded a career-high 24 kills while hitting at a .432 clip (24-8-37) while also coming through with seven blocks. Rookie Caylen Alexander came to the rescue, tying her career-high with 18 kills while hitting a hefty .385 (18-3-39).
• For their efforts, Igiede earned her second Big West Offensive Player of the Week award. Igiede has now won five career BW Weekly awards–Offensive Player of the Week (2), Defensive POW (2), Freshman of the Week (1).  Alexander was named BW Freshman of the Week for the fifth time. No other Big West rookie has more than two Freshman of the Week awards in 2022. Alexander ties former Rainbow Wahine Hanna Hellvig who also earned five BW Freshman of the Week awards in 2019. Those two Rainbow Wahine have earned that honor more than any other UH player since the award was created in 2015 by The Big West.