Women’s Volleyball Falls To No. 9 Oregon

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team pushed ninth-ranked Oregon early in the finale of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic before its bid to claim the tournament title fell short with the Ducks completing a sweep on Sunday at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

The first two sets remained tight into the 20s before Oregon (3-0) managed to fend off the Rainbow Wahine (2-1). The Ducks then ran away with the third set to finish off the 25-21, 25-21 25-15 victory before a crowd of 5,824. 

UH sophomore outside hitter Caylen Alexander led the Rainbow Wahine with 10 kills and eight digs and middle blocker Amber Igiede finished with seven kills and three blocks, including two solo. Alexander and Igiede were voted to the all-tournament team by the coaches and media in attendance. 

Igiede finished the weekend with 39 kills with a .337 hitting percentage and was in on 16 blocks, including six solo. Alexander posted 37 kills, 22 digs and nine blocks in the tournament.

Oregon outside hitter Mimi Collier, the tournament MVP, posted a match-high 17 kills. Outside hitter Gabby Gonzalez added eight kills and two aces, and middle blocker Kara McGehee was in on seven of the Ducks’ 10 blocks.
 
The teams were tied four times with four lead changes early in Set 1, but a 5-1 UH run by UH gave the ‘Bows an 11-8 lead. Oregon erased the deficit with a 7-2 run which gave the Ducks the lead, 19-18. Hawai’i tied it twice more, the last time at 20-20, before Oregon pulled away to take the set 25-21. Alexander led UH with five kills with five digs.
 
Early in Set 2, Oregon went on a 5-0 run to take a 7-4 lead and never trailed the rest of the way, due in part to five service…