HONOLULU — After winning six straight at home, Hawai'i Pacific University dropped its second straight in James Castle Gym at St. Andrews Priory as Hawai'i-Hilo claimed a 3-2 PacWest Conference victory Friday night.
 
The Sharks (14-9, 10-4) battled the Vulcans (9-11, 7-8) down to the wire, with UHH claiming an 18-25, 25-9, 25-18, 18-25, 15-10 win.
 
"They had a good game plan and they moved us around on the serve-receive," said HPU coach Jenic Tumaneng. "We made some adjustments to it, but give credit to UH-Hilo, they came ready to play."
 
The Vulcans collected four service aces and forced the Sharks into hitting mistakes with the service movements.
 
UH-Hilo hit .245 for the match, while HPU hit .228 overall. The Sharks hit .415 and .419 in the two sets they won, but hit minus .069, .128 and .182 in the three sets they lost.
 
Senior Pomai Recca, the 5-9 outside hitter from Waimanalo, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama, once again led the Sharks, posting 19 kills and a match-high 26 digs with two blocks. Freshman Allison McCollum of LaCanada, Calif./Flintridge Sacred Hearts, added 14 kills and hit .346.
 
UHH got a match-high 25 kills with 11 digs and a .275 hitting percentage from Marley Strand-Nicolaisen. Hayley Roberts added 11 kills.
 
The Sharks opened the match with a 25-18 win in set one. HPU opened up the set with a 9-3 run to take a 13-8 and never trailed again. HPU stretched the lead to 21-12 before the Vulcans answered and forced the Sharks to hold on for the set win.
 
The second set saw HPU score the first point and see the Vulcans go on a 10-0 run and cruise to a 25-9 win. UHH setter Sienna Davis served nine straight points in the run that took all the wind from the Sharks sails.
 
HPU rallied in the third set, but couldn't overcome UH-Hilo's opening 11-3 salvo and fell 25-18. The Sharks got within five points near set end, but the Vulcans never trailed in the set.
 
HPU regrouped for the fourth set, jumping out to a 7-4 advantage and stretching it to 16-9 before UHH chipped back at the lead. The Vulcans fought off three set points by the Sharks before HPU won the set on a Kayla Balezentis service error.
 
The fifth set found UH-Hilo jumping out to a 3-0 advantage before the Sharks answered. HPU got within a point three times, but a 3-0 Vulcan run that extended their lead to 11-6 spelled doom for the Sharks. Kills by McCollum and Recca pulled the Sharks back at 12-10. However, following a timeout the Vulcans posted a final 3-0 run to win the set 15-10 and the match on Katrina Johnson's kill.
 
The Sharks got a boost when freshman setter Kayley Mohr of Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge made her first appearance of the season after a knee injury at the start of the season.
 
"She did a great job," said Tumaneng. "We like what we saw and what she brought to the team. The opportunity was there and she produced."
 
The Sharks can't dwell on the loss to Hilo, as they host BYU-Hawaii on Saturday evening at St. Andrew's Priory. First serve is slated for 6 p.m.