SAN RAFAEL, Calif—Hawai`i Hilo fought off four match points to win a wild fifth set 19-17, securing a road volleyball victory over Dominican on Sunday night at the Conlan Center.

The Vulcans, who also battled back from a 2-1 set deficit, opened a week-long road trip with a win, improving to 3-4 in the Pacific West Conference and to 6-7 overall. Dominican is now 3-4 in conference play and 4-11 on the year.

After  two hours and 15 minutes, the Vulcans held on for a 25-22, 22-25, 21-25, 25-14, 19-17 triumph.

The match was all over the place, especially in the fifth set.

The Vulcans used their momentum from a dominant fourth set, jumping out to a 7-3 lead in the fifth. They still were in front 10-6, just five points away from the win. But the Penguins rolled off seven straight points to take a 13-10 lead and steal the momentum.

But the Vulcans wouldn't go away, scoring three consecutive points to tie it at 13-13. Brittany Latigue then gave the Penguins their first match point of the night on a kill (14-13), but Randi Hunter answered with her own put down (14-14). One point later, down a match point again, Hunter kept the Vulcans alive for a second time with a kill (15-15).

For a third time, Dominican took the lead, but this time setter Basia Sauni dumped a shot to knot it up at 16-16, erasing the  fourth Penguin set point. There wouldn't be another. An attack error gave the Vulcans their first overtime lead (18-17) and they then clinched it on a Lucee Fitzgerald kill to end it at 19-17.

It was UH Hilo's first five set match of the year.

Other than the fourth set, the match was back and forth all night.  The Vulcans led for all of the first set before winning a tight game (25-22), while the Penguins did the same in the second set (25-22). The third set was tight as well before Dominican pulled away late for the 25-21 win and the 2-1 set lead. The fourth set was all UHH from the beginning, with a lead as large as 21-8 before settling for the 25-14 win.

Siera Green led a balanced Vulcan attack with 13 kills, 17 digs and five block assists. Kiley Davis added 12 kills and nine blocks, while Sauni had 26 assists and 19 digs. Mina Grant had 22 digs, Hunter had 12 kills and Ashton Jessee had six kills and seven blocks. The Vulcans were dominant at the net, with eight solo blocks and 22 total blocks. Fitzgerald zipped in four of her team's 10 aces.

Latigue led the Penguins with 13 kills.

The Vulcans will play the second match of their five-date road trip on Monday night at Notre Dame de Namur.