The easiest possible path to a 30^th straight NCAA tournament qualification for the Hawaii women’s volleyball team hinges on the drama of senior night.

A well-rounded effort carried the Rainbow Wahine past a dangerous UC San Diego team via sweep, 25-17, 29-27, 25-21, at the Stan Sheriff Center on Friday night, keeping them deadlocked with Long Beach State and Cal Poly in a three-way tie for second place with 13-4 conference records with one regular-season match to play.

For UH, that last match is fittingly its old rival LBSU on Saturday.

“I’m always ready,” coach Robyn Ah Mow told Spectrum Sports’ Scott Robbs following Friday’s win. “Are they (the players) ready? They better be ready.”

If UH (20-8 overall) can avenge its sweep loss to The Beach at the Walter Pyramid on Sept. 29, it will claim the second seed and the valuable first-round bye in the inaugural six-team Big West tournament at the Pyramid. That is regardless of what Cal Poly does Saturday because UH owns the tiebreaker, UH assistant coach Kaleo Baxter explained this week; the teams were even head to head but Wahine won their other BWC matches in fewer sets played than the Mustangs.

Similarly, if the Beach (19-8) prevails, it will own the second seed. UC Santa Barbara (26-3, 16-1) already claimed the Big West regular-season title and tournament No. 1 seed with its dominant run through the league.

The Nos. 3 and 4 seeds must match up with 5 and 6 on the first day of the tournament Wednesday. The semifinals are Friday and the final Saturday. UH must win the Big West tournament for an automatic berth to keep the program’s streak of 29 NCAA Tournaments alive.

After Saturday’s match, UH will honor its six seniors: middle Amber Igiede, middle Kennedi Evans, hitter Riley Wagoner, defensive specialist Talia Edmonds, hitter Kendra Ham and hitter Chandler Cowell.

Igiede led the way in Friday’s team hitting percentage of .313 with 14 kills on .500 hitting while freshman Tali Hakas added a season-high 12 and middle Kennedi Evans seven without an error.

Kate Lang split setter duties with Jackie Matias and Matias, a Punahou graduate, had a personal-best 17 assists to Lang’s 29. Libero Tayli Ikenaga contributed a team-high 13 digs.

Ham delivered one of her two aces to end Set 2, the tightest point in the match.

Igiede, of Baton Rouge, La., was in a reflective mood throughout the week, including after Friday’s match. She is an All-American, has trained with Team USA and is just one of four players to have 1,000 kills and 500 blocks in a Wahine career.

“I think I was really meant to be here, just playing in a place that holds volleyball to such a high standard with that spirit and love, I’ve just been so grateful,” Igiede said.

UCSD (17-13, 9-9) got 10 kills from Sabare Karacaova. The Tritons are ineligible for the BWC tournament despite their top-six standing because they are in their final year of transitioning from Division II to I.

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