Aggies bounce back against Hawai’i, snap rainbow wahine’s 11-match winning streak

UC Davis outside hitter Gianna Bogan (7) spikes the ball against University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa at the University Credit Union Center on Oct. 31, 2026. The Aggies swept the match, bouncing back from their loss against Hawai'i on Oct. 30. (Grant Judkins / Aggie)

After falling 3-1 in their opening matchup, UC Davis volleyball rallied for a four straight-set win over UHM on Oct. 31

By Mikala Slotnick— sports@theaggie.org

On Oct. 30th, UC Davis volleyball came up short against the University of UHM at Manoa (UHM) in a four set battle, falling 3-1. The Aggies finished just two points behind the Rainbow Wahine in total scoring with 60-58 statistical points, but UHM took control in the final two sets to secure the victory.

UHM holds a dominating 23-5 advantage in the all-time series against UC Davis, including an 18-match winning streak from 2013 to 2024. However, the rivalry has become more competitive in recent seasons, with the Aggies winning four of the last seven meetings since 2024.

UHM’s new head coach, Joshua Walker, has quickly established his presence in the program, leading the Rainbow Wahine through an 11-match conference winning streak, previously sweeping University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Ally Chandler, a fourth-year human development major, led the Aggies offensively with 13 kills, marking her 13th double digit kill performance of the season. Isabella Umpierre, first-year animal science major, followed closely with 12 kills and 13 digs, recording her eighth double-double of the year. Chandler also contributed six blocks at the net, showcasing her impact on both offensive and defense.

Defensively, Ximena Cordero Barr, a third-year landscapes architecture major, paced Davis with 19 digs, marking the 13th time this season she has recorded at least 15 digs in a match. At the setter position, Mia Starr, a fourth-year human development major, led the offense with 37 assists.

The Aggies opened the match with back-to-back attacks from Gianna Bogan, a first-year communication major, before Brooke Hibino, a fourth-year managerial economics major, added three points of her own. However, UHM responded with a five points run, forcing UC Davis to take an early timeout trailing 7-4.

UC Davis battled back late in the set, using three consecutive blocks from Faith Rabb-Patterson, a second-year philosophy major, to erase the deficit and take a 21-19 lead. Umpierre added a kill to keep the Aggies within reach, but the Rainbow Wahine regained their footing to close out the first set 25-23.

UHM opened the second set with an 8-7 advantage, but the Aggies responded quickly, shifting their momentum with a 7-point scoring run. Chandler topped the stretch with a kill helping UC Davis maintain control.

Despite holding a 23-14 advantage later in the set, the Aggies faced a late push from the Rainbow Wahine, who scored five consecutive points. Rabb-Patterson answered with a kill before Chandler and Starr teamed up for a block to secure the 25-20 victory.

UC Davis carried its momentum into the third set, trading points with UHM behind kills from Chandler and Hibino. A 7-point run from the Rainbow Wahine erased the Aggies 7-6 advantage and gave UHM a 15-10 lead at the technical timeout. Khloe Wong, a first-year nutrition science major, sparked a late response from the service line, helping the Aggies put together four consecutive points to cut into the deficit. Demi Cole, a sociology major, contributed a block and a kill down the stretch, but the Aggies could not complete the comeback as UHM claimed the set 25-21.

UHM carried its momentum into the fourth set, opening with nine of the first 10 points putting UC Davis into an early disadvantage. The Aggies continued to fight back, with Ana Stojanovic, a first-year genetics and genomics major, and Rachel Dunagan, a fourth-year sociology major, contributing kills to help cut into the deficit. Umpierre and Cole then fueled a 4-point run, bringing UC Davis within three at 21-18 and forcing a UHM timeout. However, the Rainbow Wahine responded with four unanswered points to close out the set 25-18 and secure the four-set victory for game 1.

The Aggies made a comeback in game 2 on Oct. 31, ending the UHM 11-match winning streak with a straight set victory. UC Davis controlled the momentum throughout the match, finishing with a 61-43 statistical scoring advantage.

UC Davis overcame an early 7-2 deficit, with Wong sparking a comeback from the service line to even the score 7-7. The two teams traded points before a Rainbow Wahine error opened the door for UC Davis. Umpierre capitalized with back-to-back service aces, extending the Aggies lead to 17-12. Hibino and Cole helped maintain the momentum down the stretch, as UC Davis closed out the set with a 25-15 victory.

The second set featured a much tighter battle, with both teams exchanging runs throughout the frame. UHM briefly gained control with three consecutive points to take a 20-17 lead, but UC Davis responded with a 4-point run to reclaim the advantage. With the score tied at 23, a red card issued to UHM’s head coach gave the Aggies set point. However, a Rainbow Wahine kill extended the set into extra points. A duo block from Starr and Cole, followed by a UHM attack error, sealed the 27-25 win and gave UC Davis a 2-0 advantage.

The third set remained competitive, with neither team able to establish a significant advantage as the score reached 19-19. Cordero Barr stepped behind the service line and helped ignite a 5-0 UC Davis run. The stretch featured a Chandler kill and a combined block from Chandler and Umpierre, putting the Aggies within reach of the set. Chandler delivered her 14th kill of the match to secure the win.

UC Davis showcased a balanced offensive and defensive effort, totaling 49 kills and 51 digs. Chandler and Umpierre led the offensive attack with 14 kills apiece, while Hibino contributed six. Starr facilitated the offense with a game high 35 assists. On the defensive end, Corder Barr led the Aggies with 16 digs, helping UC Davis maintain its presence throughout the match.

“I think we were just focusing on playing Aggie volleyball,” Umpierre said during the Mountain West Broadcast. “We talked about it in the locker room in practice, and we just wanted it and we came out just hungry for the win.”

The Aggies’ performance against UHM continued to earn recognition beyond the court, as Umpierre and Cordero Barr were named Mountain West Freshmen and Defensive Players of the Week.

UC Davis currently holds a 12-11 overall record and an 8-4 record in Big West while UHM sits atop the conference standings with a 19-4 overall record and an 11-1 conference record.

UC Davis will travel to the University of Wyoming to take on the Cowgirls (12-11, 5-7) on Nov. 12 And 14.

Written by: Mikala Slotnick — sports@theaggie.org