HONOLULU — The Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball team lost to Hawai'i in straight sets Saturday night on the road.
Lolo Fonua led the Titans with 11 kills on a .500 clip with just one error, adding two blocks and a pair of digs. Lyla Traylor contributed 10 kills and six digs, while Malie McClure, Bianca Martinez and Danielle Jefferies each had three.
Nadia Koanui posted a match-high 13 digs, three assists and two aces, while Elizabeth Schuster had 26 assists, four digs and three kills for the Titans.
As a team, the Titans hit at a .121 clip on the night to Hawai'i's .353 hitting percentage. The loss to The Big West leading Rainbow Wahine moves Cal State Fullerton to 12-10 on the season and 6-8 in conference play.
The Titans started the match strong, taking an 8-6 lead following back-to-back aces by Koanui. Cal State Fullerton extended its lead to four, 12-8, with a block by Jefferies and Schuster and a Jefferies kill. Hawai'i, however, proceeded to score 12 of the next 14 points to take a 20-14 advantage. A Schuster dump kill and a Traylor ace brought the Titans within four, 21-17, but Hawai'i went on to take set one, 25-18.
Hawai'i got out to an 8-3 advantage in set two, but a 3-0 run capped by a Traylor ace brought the Titans within two, 8-6. Martinez and Schuster tallied kills to keep things close, but Hawai'i notched three straight points to go up 14-8 and force a Titan timeout. Kills by Traylor, Fonua and McClure brought the Titans back within three, 19-16. But the Rainbow Wahine finished strong, scoring four of the period's final five points to win 25-18.
The third set started back and forth, as the Titans took a 5-4 advantage off a Jefferies and McClure block. Hawai'i responded to take a 10-6 lead, but back-to-back kills by Fonua brought the Titans within two, 11-9.
The Titans hung around, as another kill by Fonua and aces by Velarde and Jefferies cut the Titans' deficit to one, 16-15. But Hawai'i went on to finish the set on a 9-3 run, winning 25-18 to complete the sweep.
The Titans remain on the road next weekend for matches at UC Santa Barbara and CSUN. Cal State Fullerton will first take on the Gauchos on Friday, November 11th, at 7:00 p.m. PT.
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