College volleyball: Rainbow Wahine sweep, Vulcans swept

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Hawaii volleyball coach Dave Shoji sent a text to his team Saturday morning, and it’s clear they received his message by the time it hit the court Saturday night.

Hawaii volleyball coach Dave Shoji sent a text to his team Saturday morning, and it’s clear they received his message by the time it hit the court Saturday night.

Annie Mitchem slammed 12 kills and Emily Maglio and McKenna Granato added nine apiece as the Rainbow Wahine swept Cal State Northridge 25-9, 25-14, 25-16 in front of 7.331 fans at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.

Shoji’s 1,197th career win came one day after Hawaii (18-5, 11-1) swept Long Beach State to take sole possession of first place in the Big West.

“I reminded them in the morning that we have to respect the opponent,” Shoji said. “You have to come in with focus, and we did a pretty good job of that.”

UH won its sixth straight match while hitting a season-high .471.

The Matadors (8-16, 4-8) hit only .118.

Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker, a 2016 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate, did not play in the match for the Matadors. Makekau-Whittaker has played in two matches this season, including an earlier home loss to Hawaii.

• Marley Strand-Nicolaisen played well but didn’t get enough help Saturday as UH-Hilo was swept at Chaminade, 28-26, 25-23, 25-14.

Strand-Nicolaisen contributed 19 kills on .298 hitting, but coach Tino Reyes said setter Sienna Davis missed the match with an illness, and the Vulcans didn’t get enough help from their middle blockers or on the right side.

“We’re way to inconsistent,” Reyes said.

For the Silverswords (14-11, 8-8 PacWest), Hilo High graduate Waihilo Chartrand compiled 16 digs on her Senior Night.

The Vulcans (9-12, 7-9) hit only .129.