When there were plays to be made, the University of Hawaii at Hilo simply didn’t make them.
Coach Tino Reyes said that continues a disturbing trend for the Vulcans on the road.
Melissa Brum’s 31 kills notwithstanding Wednesday night, UH-Hilo performed steadily but lost key points in falling in four sets to Academy of Art in San Francisco.
“Little lapses of judgment cost us here and there,” Reyes said after the 20-25, 25-22, 25-20, 27-25 loss.
Marley Strand-Nicolaisen posted 18 kills and Morgan Lees added 16 in what was the third straight setback for the Vulcans (3-5, 2-3 Pacific West Conference).
UH-Hilo outhit (.206-.180) and outblocked (8-3) the Urban Knights, but lost the serve-and-receive battle, coming up with one ace and making six service errors.
“The best we’ve played all year besides the win against (Hawaii Pacific),” Reyes said. “But Academy was much better getting sideouts.
“We just don’t get the key points on the road.”
The Vulcans had five set points in Game 4, but Brum wasted three of them with kills. A fourth kill by Brum put the Urban Knights ahead 26-25, and Strand-Nicolaisen’s hitting error ended the match.
Not surprisingly, UH-Hilo’s best sideout percentage came in the first set at 12 of 20. That number dipped to 43 percent in Game 2. That set was also hanging the balance until the Urban Knights won the last three points to even the match.
Brum hit .329 on 73 swings.
“She moved the ball around,” Reyes said. “Having said that, everyone else was what we expected, and we couldn’t stop them either.”
Brittany Ulmer contributed 12 kills for the Urban Knights (8-5, 3-2), and Emily Papale had 10.
Middle blocker Shelby Harguess was the Vulcans’ most efficient attacker, posting eight kills on 20 swings. Strand-Nicolaisen led the way with 24 digs.
The Vulcans play winless Holy Names (0-6, 0-11) on Thursday night in Oakland, Calif.