Amber Igiede joins 1,000 career kills club in leading Hawaii past USC

Of her now more than 1,000 career kills, Amber Igiede’s last one on Saturday night should put the Hawaii women’s volleyball team back in the national rankings.

After UH lost a seven-point lead and fell behind late in the fourth set, the Rainbow Wahine rallied with Igiede getting just enough of a set to barely push the ball over the net and off two defenders to close out a 27-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-23 win over Southern California.

A season-high SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 6,437 watched Hawaii have its best hitting match of the opening two weeks to defeat the Women of Troy for the second time in three days.

Igiede, who became the 21st UH women’s volleyball player to reach 1,000 career kills, led four players in double figures with 15 kills in 21 swings and hit .609 and pushed Hawaii to a season-best .279 hitting percentage.

“I just think the passing allows us to get these guys going,” Hawaii coach Robyn Ah Mow said. “If we get good touches on blocks coming back on defense, taking care of the ball, putting it up in front at least at the 5-foot line to get these guys going.”

Riley Wagoner and Caylen Alexander added 14 kills and Tali Hakas had a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs to help Hawaii improve to 4-1. UH entered the week the first team out of the AVCA Top 25 before claiming two wins over the Pac-12 Trojans (1-4).

“Since my freshman year, Coach Robyn has always said to really not worry about (rankings) because, you know, what’s the point?” Igiede said. “But we’ve already made it a focal point of focusing on preseason, which is super important especially with the Big West Tournament this year.”

Igiede received an ovation from fans after her 1,000th kill was upheld after a review to put UH ahead 19-11 in the third set. Fans watching the big screen above the court saw the milestone, but it wasn’t announced in the arena until after the match was over.

“My 1,000th kill was challenged, but when I was serving I saw the camera on me when I was tossing the ball and then I was like, ‘Why are they clapping?’” Igiede said. “I think middle is one of those positions where you literally need every single person in the rotation to hit. It really takes everyone. It sounds cliche but it does. I’m just super grateful.”

Hawaii’s 14 aces were the most in a match since 2017. Hakas, who had one of those aces, hit a season-high .368, with two of her kills coming in the final four Hawaii points after UH lost a 17-10 advantage in the fourth set.

“I think it takes time to get acclimation to the setter and I think I’m getting the vision to work with (setter) Kate (Lang),” Hakas said. “I trust her and I think certainly we’re going to get more and more results.”

Both teams got off to better starts offensively than two nights ago. USC hit .343 in the opening set but lost it when two players stared at Igiede’s serve that landed in front of the back line for an ace to win 27-25.

Igiede, who had an uncharacteristic three errors in the first set of Thursday’s win, had four kills in six swings without an error and Alexander hit .500 with six kills as UH hit .273 in the opening set, more than 100 points better than its season average coming in.

The back line came into play again to end the second set, but this time, it was USC on the right end of an Igiede serve that landed just out.

The set was ultra tight, with the only lead growing to more than two points coming on back-to-back Hawaii errors to make it 17-13 Trojans.

After a Hawaii timeout, UH rattled off four straight points to tie it on an Alexander ace.

UH could never retake the lead and fought off one match point on a USC hitting error before Igiede’s serve was just long.

Five of the nine sets played between the teams were decided by two points.

Hawaii used four aces, including two from Wagoner, to jump out to an 8-3 lead in the third set. USC never got within four points.

Hawaii led by as many as seven in the fourth set before USC tied the match on a seven-point run at 17-all and eventually took a 20-19 lead.

A Lang ace followed by Hakas’ 10th kill put UH back in front 22-20. USC staved off one match point to get to 24-23 before Igiede ended the match.

UH returns to the floor on Thursday against Liberty for the first of three matches in the Outrigger Volleyball Challenge.