For the first time in program history, the No. 18 ranked University of Utah women’s volleyball team earned a victory over Hawaii as it went 3-0 in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic that began Aug. 31 and concluded Sept. 3. Utah now holds a 1-11 all-time record against Hawaii. During the tournament the Utes also took on South Dakota and Western Carolina.
The Utes first match came against South Dakota where the Utes won 3-0. The first set of the match went back and forth point-wise. South Dakota was down by two late into the set when middle blocker, Berkeley Oblad, pushed Utah ahead with a kill to get a win of 25-22. Utah then remained in control for the next two sets. The Utes won 25-10 in the second, and then went on a 10-3 run for a 25-15 victory in the third set.
Outside hitter Dani Barton, who earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors on Sept. 4, finished with seven kills. Tawnee Luafalemana earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, at the same time as Barton earned her recognition, and she finished with five kills. Luafalemana said she wants to continue to get “better and better” on the court and show why she is deserving of the award.
“Sometimes people don’t get those things,” Luafalemana said. “I’m really grateful for it, but I want to get it again so [I’m] working harder in practice everyday.”
In the Utes second game, they took on Western Carolina and earned their second sweep of the tournament, winning 3-0. The Utes lost the first set 25-20, before the second set was won 25-18 along the third set 25-22. Outside hitter, Adora Anae, led the team with a total of 13 kills and nine digs. Luafalemana finished with seven kills and a team-high of four blocks.
Program history was made in the final match of the tournament, but it was not official until after four sets. The Utes lost the first set to the Rainbow Wahine by a score of 25-20, before bouncing back for a 26-24 victory to tie the match. In the third set, Utah was up 21-8, but Hawaii fired back with a 7-2 run. Back-to-back kills from outside hitter Lauga Gauta gave Utah a 25-15 edge. In the fourth set, Utah was up by one before Barton had back-to-back blocks, and Anae tallied her 19th kill and had 16 digs to put Utah in the record books, 25-23.
Anae, Barton and setter Bailey Choy had double-doubles for the Utes against Hawaii. Barton had 10 kills and 11 blocks for her first ever career double-double and Choy finished with 38 assists and 11 digs.
Before the tournament, Utah volleyball head coach Beth Launiere spoke on the importance of blocking more for the Utes, and that’s exactly what they did against Hawaii. They finished with 19 blocks and limited Hawaii to a .113 hitting percentage. The defensive effort shown by her team pleased Launiere because it was an area she wanted to see them excel in.
“Saturday we really focused on it before the Hawaii match,” Launiere said. “We focused on it at practice and it paid off. Now we’re trying to focus on it more.”
The Utes will play for their first time at home this weekend as they host the Utah Volleyball Classic. They face No. 15 San Diego on Friday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. before welcoming Green Bay on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 12 p.m. and Missouri at 7 p.m. that evening. Launiere is looking forward to seeing what this home stand brings for her team as it continues to improve.
“I think we’re just starting to settle into the flow of our lineup, the flow of this team,” Launiere said. “I think we just have to build on it. It’s never ending. We just have to keep getting better.”
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