In a disappointing loss, the Hawaii women’s volleyball team saw its season end with a 25-17, 25-18, 25-22 sweep by TCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Matthew Knight Arena. TCU’s Melanie Parra led with 24 kills, overpowering the Rainbow Wahine who closed their season with a 21-10 record. It was the first time Hawaii was swept in the first round since 1997, with Caylen Alexander and Tali Hakas contributing to the team’s efforts. Despite their best efforts, Hawaii was held to 37 total kills, hitting only .171 and being outblocked 10-4 by TCU. Setter Kate Lang marked her career with her 51st double-double while senior Tayli Ikenaga had a team-high 16 digs in her final match.
TCU hit .297 with four aces, overpowering Hawaii with their four set points in the crucial moments of the match. Unfortunately, Hawaii was unable to match TCU’s performance, with the second set slipping away with TCU scoring the final seven points and securing the sweep. The third set also saw a close match, with Hawaii tying it at 22-22 before Parra’s kill and Jalyn Gibson’s ace led to match point for TCU. Despite a timeout, Hawaii made their final hitting error, ending their season on a disappointing note.
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