The finest match of Paula Guersching’s Hawaii women’s volleyball career got the Rainbow Wahine to the cusp of knocking off Big West leader UC Santa Barbara in Isla Vista, Calif., on Friday night.

It was not enough to get the job done in the Thunderdome as the Gauchos retained their perfect conference record in a 25-22, 19-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-13 defeat of the Rainbow Wahine.

Guersching, last season’s Horizon League Player of the Year at Youngstown State, put down a team-high 16 kills with just one error 41 swings, hitting .366 to give UH a chance in hostile territory. Guersching’s previous UH high was nine kills, but she was a go-to player on this night, including when she put down a ball off the Gaucho block in Set 4 to send it to a fifth.

But after UH (12-6, 5-2 BWC) appeared to have staved off a fourth straight Gaucho match point in the final frame to send it to extra points, a UCSB challenge of a UH touch on Michelle Ohwobete’s out ball was successful. The key point was overturned, and the Wahine were dealt their second conference loss of the season while UCSB (18-2, 8-0) picked up its ninth straight win.

Setter Kate Lang had 43 assists and 22 digs for UH. Middle Amber Igiede had 15 kills on 35 swings (.343) and was in on seven of UH’s nine blocks. Hitter Riley Wagoner had 13 kills and 16 digs. UH’s second middle, Kennedi Evans, had 13 kills. Tayli Ikenaga assumed most of the libero duties from Talia Edmonds and had 17 digs.

UH will attempt to salvage a split of the road trip at Cal Poly (11-8, 5-2) at 4 p.m. Hawaii time on Saturday.

Kendra Ham got roofed, then shanked the ensuing serve by Briana McKnight as the Gauchos jumped out 3-1 in the fifth. UCSB had nine aces to UH’s five — three by McKnight.

Wagoner shanked the next received ball and UH could not get it over for a three-point deficit.

Macall Peed’s ace made it 6-3 Gauchos and the gap was still two as the teams switched sides.

A power flicker in the Thunderdome interrupted play at 9-7 Gauchos and Wagoner’s ensuing serve carried long.

Andi Kreiling’s kill made it a four-point game.

Robyn Ah Mow brought in backup setter Jackie Matias and hitter Tali Hakas to give UH more size at the net, but McKnight put down a left-side kill, anyway.

Ah Mow was unsuccessful on a challenge of a net violation of a block on Wagoner and the Gauchos had a quadruple-match point.

Kills by Kennedi Evans and Wagoner allowed UH to stave off two match points, and UH dodged the next one when Farmer skied a shot out of bounds.

Ohwobete led UCSB with 17 kills to surpass the 1,000 career mark while Farmer added 16 kills. The teams rematch at the Stan Sheriff Center on Nov. 4.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.