Hawaii junior middle blocker Miliana Sylvester led all players with 13 kills and six blocks as the Rainbow Wahine clinched at least a share of a Mountain West Conference regular-season title with a 25-18, 25-16, 25-5 sweep of Nevada at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Played in front of a crowd of 6,306, the match featured strong offensive efficiency from the UH roster. Cha’lei Reid tallied 12 kills in 21 swings without an error, while middle Rachel Purser was also errorless with seven kills in 10 swings.
As a team, Hawaii hit .344 for the match and heated up to hit .542 in the third set. Senior Panna Ratkai contributed four of Hawaii’s eight aces, and Sylvester surpassed 300 career blocks during the contest.
Hawaii Approaches No. 1 Seed in Conference Tournament
Hawaii improved its record to 21-4 overall and 13-1 in conference play. The Rainbow Wahine had already secured a berth in the four-team conference tournament earlier in the day. The team can claim the tournament’s No. 1 seed outright with a single victory in its final four matches, or through a combination of losses by other schools.
Rainbow Wahine Host Air Force Before Senior Night Ceremony
The Rainbow Wahine will return to action by welcoming Air Force for their final two home matches of the regular season, scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Following Friday’s match, the program will hold a senior night ceremony to honor seniors Panna Ratkai and Leilani Lopez, alongside fourth-year junior Tali Hakas. Hakas previously announced that she will not return for a final season of eligibility.
