ST. GEORGE, Utah – Eleven months ago, the Chaminade University women's volleyball team pushed Dixie State, the eventual NCAA West Region runners-up, to the brink before succumbing in a five-set loss in Utah.
This time, the Silverswords finished the job.
Chaminade, in the midst of perhaps their toughest stretch of the season, rallied from a 0-2 deficit to defeat the Red Storm, 19-25, 19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 15-13, in a Pacific West Conference match at the Student Activities Center.
Keani Passi established career-highs with 23 kills and six total blocks to pave the way for the 'Swords who improved to 11-3 overall and 4-2 in the PacWest, snapping a two-match losing streak. The win was their first over the Red Storm (7-8, 4-3) since 2012 and was also their first-ever at Dixie State in eight tries.
Daisia LaBrie added 12 kills and five total blocks with a .384 attack percentage while
Suncica Bakic had a season-high nine kills with a .316 percentage.
"I'm very proud of the team for fighting back," Silverswords head coach
Kahala Kabalis Hoke said. "It was a rollercoaster tonight of ups and downs but we came through when it mattered the most."
Passi wasn't the only one to set career marks. Libero
Brenda Walker and setter
Natashya Enos also established career-bests with 43 and 21 digs, respectively, with
Kim Spring adding a season-high 13 as Chaminade out-dug Dixie State 99-82.
Trailing 6-4 early in the first set, the 'Swords went on a 4-0 run behind kills from Passi and Bakic along with back-to-back service aces from Spring. The Red Strom reclaimed lead only to have Chaminade tie it at 18 but DSU's 8-1 run helped close the set to give the Red Storm a 1-0 lead.
Chaminade charged back to begin the second set with Passi and Bakic combining for five kills as the 'Swords opened up a 12-7 advantage. But Dixie State countered and eventually took a 16-15 lead.
Reigna Johnson's solo block on the next point tied it up at 16 but a 9-3 surge by the home team ended the set and the 'Swords found themselves down 0-2.
Dixie State looked to make quick work for a sweep in the third, opening up a 13-6 lead. But with their backs to the wall, the Silverswords forced five DSU hitting errors and got kills from Johnson, Passi, LaBrie and
Cassie Rushlow to forge an 18-all tie. The Red Storm would recapture the lead at 22-19 then Chaminade answered again behind successful attacks from Rushlow and Passi. Spring put down two kills and a Red Storm setting error helped put the 'Swords up 24-23 followed by LaBrie and Rushlow roofing Taylor Dureya to send the match to extra sets.
In the fourth set and the match tied at 11, the Silverswords went on a 6-0 run to take a 17-11 advantage as Rushlow had a kill and ace during the run as well as kills from LaBrie and Passi. DSU closed to 17-14 but Passi put down four kills and an ace during a pivotal 7-2 run helped the 'Swords force a winner-take-all fifth set.
The outlook began grim for Chaminade which found itself down 3-0 in the decisive set. But LaBrie single-handedly got the Silverswords back in with four straight kills and Bakic gave them the lead at 5-4 with one of her own. The 'Swords continued the run with Passi's solo block and a Dixie State hitting error as Chaminade led 7-4. Eventually, the 'Swords got the lead to 12-9 but behind the home crowd, DSU battled back with four straight points and a 13-12 lead.
The visitors, however, were not going to be denied. Spring tied the set at 13 with her eighth kill of the match then LaBrie blocked a Makenzie Bird-Murphey spike to put Chaminade up 14-13 to set up aloha ball. LaBrie then combined with Passi to push back Delayne Daniels' attack, giving the Silverswords perhaps their biggest win of the season.
Chaminade, which trailed in the kills and blocks department for most of the match, put down 60 kills to DSU's 52 and closed the total team blocking margin, being out-blocked by only two, 11-9. The 'Swords also had 58 assists to Dixie's 42 as
Kasse-Ann Kiriu-Dela Cruz provided a spark as the team's secondary setter with a season-high 15 assists.
The Silverswords will look to carry the momentum Friday when their road trip continues at Azusa Pacific.
