HAYWARD, Calif.—Somebody once said that disappointing news often comes in batches of three.
Hawai`i Hilo's three-match winning streak came to an end in their third match of a road trip in three sets on Tuesday night at Cal State East Bay.
The Vulcans fell to the Pioneers 25-16, 25-19, 25-20 at the Pioneer Gymnasium. The good news in the trilogy is that it is a non-conference match for UH Hilo, who drops to 7-8 overall. Cal State East Bay, of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is now 12-5 on the season.
Siera Green led the Vulcans with 12 kills on the night, hitting at a .276 clip. Freshman
Amber Tai had seven kills and 11 digs, while
Basia Sauni added 14 digs and
Mina Grant had 13.
Ashton Jessee had three block assists.
All three sets had a pretty similar script. The Vulcans and Pioneers were tightly locked up through the first half of the set before the home team pulled away. In the first set, the action was tied at 13-13 before CSUEB won 12 of the final 15 points to claim the game (25-16). In the second set, UH Hilo trailed by a single digit at 18-17 before the Pioneers ran off seven of the final eight points (25-19). In the third and final set, UHH was again down just 18-17 only to see their hosts win seven of the final ten opportunities to claim the match (25-20).
Deja Thompson led Cal State East Bay with 12 kills.
The Vulcans will return to Pacific West Conference action on Wednesday night, where they are 4-4 on the season, taking on Holy Names in Oakland. Start time is 7 p.m. Pacific.
