Ratkai, Hakas help Hawai’i handle Utah Tech to open OUTRIGGER Invitational

HONOLULU – No Cha’lei Reid, no problem.

The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team showed no signs of slowdown without the services of their preseason all-conference outside hitter on Thursday night, handling Utah Tech (2-2) in straight sets, (25-17, 25-11, 26-24), to open up the 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational.

Senior outside hitter Panna Ratkai stepped up in Reid’s absence, leading the Rainbow Wahine (2-2) with 12 kills to go along with eight digs and a pair of blocks – including the match-winning solo stuff against Utah Tech’s Sydney Reese in the final frame.

Hawai’i celebrates following a point during Thursday’s straight set victory over Utah Tech. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Tali Hakas tallied her first double-double of the season (and 11th of her UH career) as she tacked on 10 kills and 12 digs while also getting a share of a pair of blocks on the night.

Miliana Sylvester and Rachel Purser also submitted solid showings for Hawai’i as the middle blockers combined for 13 kills on 21 swings with just two attack errors across the three sets. Sylvester also tacked on six blocks (two solo, four assisted) while Purser added a solo stuff and her third service ace in four matches.

Hawai’i ripped out of the gates to start the night, scoring the first five points of the match to force a quick timeout from Utah Tech. The Trailblazers would recover enough to pull the deficit within two before the opening frame’s media timeout, but the Rainbow Wahine scored 11 of the final 16 points in the stanza to take a 1-0 lead.

The second set continued the Rainbow Wahine romping, hitting over .400 as a group in the frame as they took a 15-5 lead by the media timeout. While Hawai’i’s efficiency shined bright, Utah Tech found prolonged troubles in the second set as the Trailblazers hit in the negatives and committed 11 errors (seven attacking, four blocking) in a 25-11 drubbing.

Hawai’i seemed to gear down in the third frame with a 2-0 set lead, seeing the Rainbow Wahine and Trailblazers trade the first 12 points before Maeli Cormier and Hakas hammered down a pair of kills consecutively to put UH up, 8-6.

Hawai’i OH Tali Hakas lets out a cheer after a point for the Rainbow Wahine. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Despite Hawai’i taking a three-point lead into the third set media timeout, Utah Tech refused to roll over and flipped the frame after the stoppage to take a 17-16 lead with the help of a 5-1 scoring run.

The Rainbow Wahine would tie the set at 20 before Utah Tech’s Nana Asiata put the Trailblazers back ahead and Tali Hakas’ final attack error of the night forced UH head coach Joshua Walker to call for a timeout to try and reawaken his suddenly sleepwalking squad.

After a spirited huddle, Hawai’i would go on to score six of the final eight points of the match and take the final frame in extra points, 26-24, to secure the first sweep of the Joshua Walker era.

Asiata led the Trailblazers with 12 kills and six attack errors on 29 swings while Cale Torgerson added 10 kills, seven digs and a pair of blocks in the loss. Utah Tech setter Marley Roe, who played her prep volleyball in the islands for Kamehameha-Kapālama alongside Rainbow Wahine junior Adrianna Arquette, finished with a 15-assist, 10-dig double-double in her return home.

Utah Tech returns to action on Day 2 of the OUTRIGGER Invitational against UC San Diego with first serve scheduled for 4 p.m. HT. The Tritons fell in four sets on Thursday afternoon against Loyola Marymount.

Hawai’i will wrap up the second day of the OUTRIGGER Invitational at 7 p.m. HT against unbeaten LMU (4-0). It’ll mark the first meeting of the programs since 2007 when the Rainbow Wahine swept the Lions in a two-match series.