Double-Doubles from Anae, Barton and Choy lead #22 Utes Past Rainbow Wahine

Sunday, September 3

Honolulu, HI

8:00 PM

University of Utah

5-1

Hawai'i

2-4

Utah

Hawaii

Double-Doubles from Anae, Barton and Choy lead #22 Utes Past Rainbow Wahine

9/3/2017 11:08 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Updated Season Stats (5-1)

Utes get first-ever volleyball win over Hawaii

HONOLULU – Utah's Adora Anae and Dani Barton both recorded double-doubles while leading the No. 22-ranked Utes to a four-set win (20-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-23) over Hawaii in the championship match of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic Sunday evening at Stan Sheriff Center.

The Utes (5-1) rallied from an 0-1 deficit to the Rainbow Wahine (2-4), winning the second, third and fourth sets to take the championship match of the tournament. Utah, who was 0-11 all-time when facing the Rainbow Wahine, picked up its first-ever win over Hawaii. It was Utah and Hawaii's first match against each other since 2004.

Anae led the way with 19 kills and 16 digs for her second double-double of the season, while Barton totaled 10 kills with a team-best .375 hitting percentage and 11 total blocks for the first double-double of her career.

Bailey Choy recorded a double-double on the evening as well, collecting a team-high 38 assists and totaling 11 digs. It was Choy's first double-double of the season and the 11th of her career.

Meanwhile, Utah hit just .163 overall in the match – its lowest output of the season – but the defense limited Hawaii to just a .113 effort, totaling 72 digs and 19.0 total team blocks in the match.

Utah's 25-20 loss in the first set was just the second time the Utes had dropped a set all season. The Utes swept its first two opponents in the tournament this weekend.

After trailing 19-14 and then calling timeout, Hawaii used a 6-0 run late in the first set to take a 20-19 lead and then closed out the frame winning 11 of the final 12 points to take the frame 25-20. The Rainbow Wahine hit just .133 in the set, but limited Utah to just a .024 hitting percentage on the other side of the net.

The Utes came back to tie the match 1-1 after winning a back-and-forth second set, 26-24. Utah led 16-13 midway through the frame until a 6-2 run pushed Hawaii back into the lead, 19-18. The Utes countered with a 5-1 run and later closed the set with a kill from Anae.

Utah registered a combined .344 team hitting percentage, while limiting the Rainbow Wahine to a negative hitting percentage of -.059, on the way to powering its way to a 25-15 win in the third set. The Utes led by as many as 13 points, up 21-8, but Hawaii bounced back with a 7-2 run. Utah called timeout, up 23-15, and then closed out the frame with back-to-back kills from Lauga Gauta.

The Utes pushed its lead to 20-13 late in the fourth set, but Hawaii again countered, first calling timeout and then proceeding to go on an 8-2 run to get within a point of Utah, down 22-21. Barton followed with back-to-back blocks and Anae ended the match with her 19th kill of the evening to give Utah the victory.

Utah will make its home debut later this week, hosting the Utah Volleyball Classic this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9, at the Huntsman Center. The Utes will welcome No. 17 San Diego, Green Bay and Missouri to the two-day event.

MATCH NOTES
• Utah registered its first win over Hawaii in a series that dated back to 1980. Utah is now 1-11 all-time when facing the Rainbow Wahine and 1-5 against UH in Honolulu.
• Adora Anae (16), Shannon Scully (11), Bailey Choy (11) and Brianna Doehrmann (13) each recorded double-digit dig efforts.
• Both Tawnee Luafalemana (12 blocks) and Dani Barton (11 blocks) posted new season/career-high block efforts. The duo became the first pair of Utes to record at least 10 blocks in a single match since Emillie Toone (14) and Lori Baird (13) did so back on Oct. 14, 2006, against Wyoming.
• It was the first time at least one Utah player recorded at least 11 total blocks in a single match since Sept. 5, 2015 (Brenna DeYoung, 11 blocks, at Gonzaga).
• Utah tallied a season-high 19.0 total team blocks. It was Utah's first time to record 19.0 team blocks in a match since Nov. 16, 2012, at Arizona State.