To the surprise of few, the Hawaii women’s volleyball team was pushed to five sets on Tuesday night.

However, UH’s usual late-match magic did not make the trip with the Rainbow Wahine in front of a packed house at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion, as the Rebels of the Mountain West had the last word in a 25-15, 22-25, 25-16, 16-25, 15-13 thriller.

What You Need To Know

  • The Hawaii women's volleyball team lost to UNLV in five sets at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas in its first road match of the season on Tuesday night

  • UNLV recorded a record crowd of 3,117 for a women's volleyball match, boosted by a large pro-UH contingent

  • Caylen Alexander led UH with 23 kills and 10 digs but was blocked on the Rebels' third match-point opportunity

  • The Rainbow Wahine continue their three-match road trip at two-time defending national champion Texas at 1:30 Hawaii time Friday

The announced crowd of 3,117 included a vocal contingent of UH fans and was a record for a UNLV women’s volleyball match in the building.

It was the programs’ first official meeting since 2003, and first in Las Vegas since 1997. UNLV (6-2) notched its first win against UH (6-2) in nine all-time meetings, not including a 3-2 UH win at the Stan Sheriff Center in a match this spring.

“It was crazy. I’m still in shock,” Rebels graduate middle Jordyn Freeman told the Mountain West Network’s broadcast crew postgame. “A record attendance at this game’s huge. Although this is our gym, it was a lot different getting used to having a packed gym. Eye contact, a lot of screaming, a lot of voices being lost.”

It was sixth time in eight matches this year that UH went to five with an opponent. It dropped to 4-2 in those matches.

Hitter Caylen Alexander, coming off a career-best 38-kill outing against Texas State on Saturday, took some time to really get going but finished with 23 kills and 10 digs against 10 errors, hitting .277. Freshman middle Miliana Sylvester supplied her best offensive match to date with 15 kills against just one error (.636).

The Wahine rallied impressively in Set 4, but trailed throughout the fifth after having the first point of the frame successfully overturned via challenge by Rebels coach Malia Shoji, the niece of UH legend Dave Shoji.

The Rebels took an 8-4 lead, at which point UH coach Robyn Ah Mow unsuccessfully challenged a net fault.

UH scored three straight to force a UNLV timeout, but the Rebels recovered for an 11-7 advantage when Tali Hakas (10 kills, nine digs, .212) was roofed.

The Wahine rallied to within 13-11 on a step-out kill by Alexander.

UNLV earned match point and Alexander staved off two with kills, but Alexander was turned back to end the match.

UH was outblocked 13-3 and gave up 10 Rebel aces. Freeman led the Rebels with 13 kills on 18 swings (.611) and five blocks.

Libero Tayli Ikenaga had 13 digs to surpass 1,000 for her Wahine career, while freshman utility player Adrianna Arquette saw her first action of the season in the fourth and fifth sets.

UH continues play on its three-match road trip at two-time defending national champion and No. 8 Texas (3-3) at 1:30 p.m. Hawaii time Friday.

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