Three months after ending its volleyball season in the final four, Hawai‘i hammered out a 25-19, 24-26, 26-24, 25-13 exhibition victory over Arizona tonight.

A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of about 1,800 saw Rainbow Wahine All-American Kanani Danielson go for 20 kills and transfer Chanteal Satele 14. The Wildcats, who ended last season at 19-11 and in the NCAA Tournament’s first round, got 12 kills from Tiffany Owens and Courtney Karst.
At 21-11 in the opening set, Danielson had served a third of Hawai‘i’s points. Her accuracy with the jump serve, a balanced attack and 15 digs from setter Dani Mafua and libero Liz Ka‘aihue were ultimately too much for the Wildcats.
But Danielson’s eight kills and seven digs, and 15 more digs from Mafua and Ka‘aihue, along with two set points were not enough in the second set. Arizona scored the final four with Owens doing most of the damage.
Hawai‘i took revenge on that rally with one of its own in Set 3.
Karst — the only underclassman the Wildcats started — lifted her team to set point at 24-20 with four kills, a spectacular save near the antenna and an ace.
When she missed her net serve, the ‘Bows battled back. Alex Griffiths served an ace and Danielson blasted her 18th kill after a Ka‘aihue dig. Owen hit out to erase the fourth set point and tie it at 24. After a timeout, Satele drilled two balls into the floor to end it.
The Rainbow Wahine scored six of the first seven in the final set. Senior Stephanie Brandt subbed in at hitter for Corinne Cascioppo, who has battled a bug this week.
Hawai‘i opens its season at home Aug. 27.

NOTES
Former Rainbow Tom Pestolesi, here to see son Tommy playing for Long Beach State tonight and tomorrow against the UH men, was pressed into service as the up referee last night.