RENO, Nev. » The throbbing in Jovonte Taylor's ankle was bothersome.

The pain of another Hawaii loss ... now that was tough to take.

“;The loss hurts a lot more than the ankle,”; Taylor said outside the Warriors' locker room after a 31-21 defeat to Nevada.

“;The ankle I can deal with, the loss is hard. It hurts, it really does.”;

Taylor posted his most productive performance of the season yesterday, catching six passes for 109 yards, both season highs, and scored his first two touchdowns of his Hawaii career.

But he found it difficult to savor the statistical gains after the Warriors' losing streak reached six straight games.

The Warriors took a 14-0 lead, but staggered in the middle quarters while Nevada pulled into the lead and saw a comeback attempt fall short.

“;We came out and executed, but before you know it we started breaking down,”; Taylor said.

Nagging injuries have slowed Taylor for much of the season, but he was finally able to stretch his legs in the first quarter when he took a quick out from Bryant Moniz, slipped away from a tackler and raced along the sideline for a 71-yard touchdown.

The score was Hawaii's second-longest play from scrimmage of the season, trailing only Rodney Bradley's 73-yard score against Washington State.

“;It was a simple hitch route,”; Taylor said. “;The DB was playing hard, inside man and I just hitched up and caught the ball and he took a bad angle, and before you know it I was up the sideline.

“;I've been waiting for plays like that since Day 1. I've been waiting to make big plays and today was that day.”;

Taylor's second score came in the fourth quarter, when he snared a 4-yard dart from Moniz. The touchdown brought the Warriors back to within a score at 28-21, but the Wolf Pack added a field goal on its ensuing possession to put the game out of reach.

“;That throw-and-catch to Jovonte was big time,”; UH quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich said. “;There was little window and (Moniz) got it in there.”;

Taylor led a receiver corps that nearly saw three members break into triple digits in yardage. Greg Salas gained 96 yards on eight receptions, and Jon Medeiros had a career-best 92 yards on nine catches.

Medeiros' 23-yard reception on a third and 9 was a key in UH's scoring drive to open the game.

The Warriors gained 374 yards through the air and jumped out to the two-touchdown lead. But breakdowns and turnovers again proved costly as the Wolf Pack caught, passed and ultimately held off Hawaii.

“;We've always known we could move the ball. It's frustrating because we don't finish,”; UH offensive coordinator Ron Lee said. “;It's always one thing or another.”;

Taylor began the season as the starter at the Z receiver, but has been laboring since spraining his ankle against UNLV. The injury continues to bother him, though not as much as the Warriors' skid.

“;I'm still fighting through that right now,”; Taylor said. “;For the most part, it's still there. That's something I'm going to be dealing with the whole year. I just have to keep sucking it up.”;