Update November 26, 2023:
The Rainbow Wahine (23-8) will play No. 7 seed Iowa State (20-9) in the first round of the Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Tournament on Thursday, November 30 at 2 p.m. HST in Eugene, Oregon. The winner of that match will play the winner of No. 2 seed Oregon (26-5) and Southeastern Louisiana (28-4) in the second round.
Original story:
The University of Hawaiʻi women’s volleyball team captured the inaugural Outrigger Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship with a convincing straight-set victory over host Long Beach State and is headed to the Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Tournament for the 30th straight year and 41st overall.
No. 2 seed UH (23-8) took down the host and No. 4 seed Beach (21-10) in the championship match 26-24, 25-15 and 25-10. The ‘Bows got to the championship match after defeating No. 3 seed Cal Poly in the semifinals in straight sets. Long Beach State upset No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara in a five-set marathon semifinal match.
The Rainbow Wahine were led by senior middle blocker Amber Igiede with 16 kills hitting .522. Senior outside hitter Riley Wagoner added eight kills and senior middle blocker Kennedi Evans contributed seven kills on nine attempts hitting .778. Junior setter Kate Lang directed the UH offense with 36 assists. The ‘Bows dominated the Beach for the match hitting .330 to .123, out-blocking Long Beach State 11-3 and in service aces 6-0.
“They just came and they played when they needed to,” Head Coach Robyn Ah Mow said. “I told them in the locker room—all the losses that we had is just learning lessons for them to build throughout the season and make every skill better, whatever you had to do, just make it better. They came out in this tournament and just played their hearts out.”
Both teams split their matches earlier this year with the ‘Bows losing on the road in three sets and winning at home on senior night just a week prior to the Big West tournament in four sets.
UH will find out where it will be headed for the national tournament during the selection show on November 26 at 1 p.m. HST.
For more, visit the UH Mānoa athletics website.
The Big West Championship stays in Manoa! #GoBows #SISTAHHOOD
— Hawaii W. Volleyball (@HawaiiWVB) November 25, 2023
