HONOLULU — It had been so long since the Hawaii women’s volleyball team played before a traditional home crowd that the Rainbow Wahine had to remind each other that the screaming fans were there to support them.
Thursday night’s turnstile crowd of 3,413 (5,023 tickets issued) at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center had plenty to cheer about as UH swept Texas State, 28-26, 25-20, 27-25. UH (1-3) provided several clutch points in two sets that could’ve gone another way.
Only four players on the roster Thursday were present in 2019, the last time UH enjoyed a crowd of no restrictions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Third-year sophomore setter Kate Lang, a member of UH’s “COVID class” who couldn’t play at all in the canceled 2020 season, was like many of her teammates in that she only experienced crowds of fewer than 500 people in the second half of the 2021 season.
This was different. There were the old school dance-offs, timeout contests and the lei-giving "Aunties." And, per the custom that gained traction with UH men's volleyball, fans supplied the rhythmic Viking clap on match point.
It was startling for the uninitiated.
“The very last point in the Stan, everybody stands up and is always clapping (in unison),” Lang said. “Being down on the court, you know that everyone’s clapping for you and they want you to win the game, but it’s really scary having thousands of people stand up, surrounding you and clapping all synchronously.
“So, I think having that mindset that everyone is here to support you, no matter what, it’s OK to be a little bit nervous, because that is nerve-wracking.”
Freshman hitter Caylen Alexander was playing her first match in the Sheriff, period, coming off UH’s 0-3 road trip to a very challenging Texas A&M Invitational. She described the first set, in which UH fended off five Texas State set points, as “jittery.”
“A big thing we talked about was playing through the nervousness, using it to our advantage,” Alexander said. “Everyone’s nervous. It really helps when you know it’s not just you. All the girls were super encouraging.”
Coach Robyn Ah Mow is ready for more of that for the second night of the tournament Friday. UH faces West Virginia (2-2), a straight-set loser to No. 23 UCLA in Thursday’s first match.
“I think it’s awesome. I’m ready to get life going,” Ah Mow said. “I think everybody else here is.”
All-Big West middle Amber Igiede put down a career-high-tying 20 kills on 32 swings, hitting .562. Riley Wagoner added 12 kills on a team-high 42 swings and Alexander supplied nine on 21 attempts.
The Lang-to-Igiede connection seemed to get stronger as the match progressed.
“Amber and I have this thing we do before every game, and it’s, we hold each other’s hands and say, ‘I have one-half brain, you have one-half brain, we’re going to make one full brain tonight,’” Lang said with a laugh. “So, tonight I felt we were definitely one full brain. Maybe one and a half.”
Lang had 43 assists, 10 digs and four kills as UH hit .344 to the .248 of Texas State (3-1) of the Sun Belt Conference.
Hawaii averted its first 0-4 start in its storied history, though it was apparent early they’d have to scrap to do so.
Texas State was undaunted by the crowd at the outset and claimed an 13-7 lead in Set 1. Ah Mow didn’t call timeout, determined to have her team work through it.
Alexander two-hand freeballed it over, only to have Bobcats setter Emily DeWalt do the same right into the uncovered UH back corner.
Dewalt did a nifty shot behind her head for another sneaky point and a 20-15 lead.
Braelyn Akana touched the back corner to get UH within 22-20. Lang hit Wagoner on an extended point to make it a one-point game. But Akana got roofed two points later to give TSU triple set point. UH staved off two set points, then Igiede and Lang blocked Caitlan Buettner to tie it at 24.
“The talk was don’t let up, keep fighting,” Lang said. “We practice every day getting three points in a row, and we needed that but a little bit more. It’s a situation we’re not scared of.”
The Bobcats got a second-effort swing to go off the UH block, but Wagoner answered. TSU got a fifth set point and this time Igiede responded with her seventh kill. Alexander put one down the left line and Lang’s dump shot claimed the frame.
“I saw them fighting from last week,” Ah Mow said. “We came home and we’re 0-3, but there’s definitely some good things that they did there, and one good thing is they just kept fighting. Every set, every point, they just kept going. I didn’t have a doubt if that was going to come out. It’s more, are we going to put the skills together.”
The teams continued to be closely matched in Set 2. Wagoner went to the deep corner to tie it at 11.
Hawaii opened up a five-point lead and held on when it narrowed late at 21-19. A 4-1 run finished off the set, with Alexander putting down two kills, including on the first set point.
Texas State, unfazed, opened up a 6-3 lead in Set 3 on a double block of Igiede.
Tiffany Westerberg and Akana stuffed Janell Fitzgerald for a 9-7 UH lead. Texas State forced a UH timeout when the Bobcats took an 18-17 lead.
UH went up by two, only to see TSU rattle off three straight for a 22-21 Bobcats lead.
Akana tooled the block to tie it at 22 and Lang fed Igiede for a tapped shot into open floor. Lang set Igiede once more for a high-velocity shot and match point.
TSU fended off the UH Viking clap by going through the block, then Emily DeWalt and Tessa Marshall double blocked Wagoner to set up deuce. UH committed a net violation and suddenly stared at the prospect of going another set, but Igiede put away her 20th kill to make it 25-all.
Igiede and Lang roofed Gardner for UH’s third match point.
Wagoner put down a left-handed push shot off an off-balance set from Igiede.
Fitzgerald led Texas State with 15 kills on 34 swings, hitting .412.
Note: UH received more than $223,000 of donations for its “Wahine on the Rise Day of Giving” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of its women’s sports and Title IX legislation.
Each of the 13 UH women’s sports programs had a target of $2,500. All sports exceeded their targets, with Wahine volleyball posting over $61,000 from 85 donors as of early Friday morning. Rainbow Wahine soccer was next at over $37,000 and Wahine basketball brought in over $30,000.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.