What was that sound you just heard?
What was that sound you just heard?
Could have been the University of Hawaii volleyball team crashing out of the Top 25 or its free-fall in the Ratings Percentage Index.
The Rainbow Wahine ran into considerable resistance in a pair of Big West volleyball showdowns on the road, culminating in a five-set loss, 25-15, 22-25, 26-24, 21-25, 15-11, at Long Beach State on Saturday night.
Hawaii (12-5, 4-2 Big West) hit just .131 and made 12 service errors. Tai Manu-Olevao finished with 16 kills but 13 attack errors.
The Wahine lost middle blocker Olivia Magill to a lower leg injury in the second set and got a nice fill-in performance from Emily Maglio (five kills, .508).
Trailing 20-17 in Game 4, Manu-Olevao spurred an 8-1 run with two aces.
But Bre Mackie’s kill broke an 11-11 tie in the fifth set, and her 20th kill sealed UH’s fate as the 49ers (14-4, 4-0) remained in first place as the league’s one undefeated team.
Kalei Greeley posted a double-double for UH with 10 kills and 14 digs, and Nikki Taylor (nine kills, 11 digs) almost notched one.
Hawaii entered the weekend ranked No. 21 in AVCA poll and was No. 17 in the first RPI, but now its staring up at three teams in the Big West, including Cal State Northridge, which on Friday night handed UH it’s first conference sweep since 2010.
The Wahine can avenge both losses in November, but first they return home to welcome Cal Poly this Friday and UC Santa Barbara on Sunday.
Soccer
The Rainbow Wahine also wrapped up an 0-2 road trip, allowing two goals in the first 20 minutes Sunday during a 2-o loss to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Shut out for the second time this season, UH (6-8, 1-3 Big West) remained winless in five meetings all-time against the Mustangs (7-8, 2-2).
Megan Abutin scored off a corner kick in the 12th minute, and Elise Krieghoff netted her league-leading 11th goal in the 18th minute.
Hawaii was outshot 11-2 in the second half and 18-15 for the match.