BELMONT, Calif.--For the Hawai`i Hilo volleyball team, goal(s) accomplished and title contention still in place.
The Vulcans topped Notre Dame de Namur on Friday night, 25-17, 25-23, 25-17 to complete a 5-0 road trip, winning their sixth straight match along the way. They improved to 18-5 on the year and to 14-3 in the Pacific West Conference. With Point Loma's loss to Biola tonight, the Vulcans settled into the unoccupied third place spot, one half match behind the Eagles (15-3). Azusa Pacific, who visits Hilo on Wednesday night, leads the PacWest at 14-2, also one-half match ahead of the Vulcans.
The host Argonauts dropped to 7-18 on the year and to 6-11 in the PacWest.
The Vulcans used a rousing comeback in the second set and a now familiar balanced offensive attack to pick up the win.
Teisa Tuioti was one of many leaders tonight, with seven kills, 14 digs and two service aces.
Alexandria Parisian had nine kills,
Evelin Solyomvari added eight with five blocks and
Armani Moultrie had six kills. Defensively,
Mina Grant had 15 digs,
Bria Beale had 12 and
Ashton Jessee had seven blocks.
The Vulcans never trailed in the first set, taking an 8-4 lead out of the gate on their way to winning the game, 25-17. The second set was much different. The Argonauts jumped out to a 4-0 lead and actually never trailed for almost the entire set. The hosts led 19-15 and still had more on the scoreboard at 23-20, seemingly about to split sets. But the Vulcans flipped the switch, scoring the next five points on two kills by Tuioti, two by Jessee and one by Solyomvari to burst NDNU's bubble (25-23).
The third set belong to the Vulcans, who never trailed. They busted out to an 8-3 lead, still led at 18-14 and closed out the match on kills by Solyomvari, Moultrie and Parisian, a Beale ace and a Tuioti kill.
The Vulcans hit just .137 on the night but had 39 kills on the night to NDNU's 26. Taylor Garcia led the Argonauts with 22 digs and Kathlin Martinez had nine kills.
The Wednesday match (Oct. 31) versus the first-place Cougars at UHH Gymnasium will begin at 6 p.m. The first 100 through the door receive free Halloween candy. Students now have free admission and all are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes.
