HONOLULU – The last time the Chaminade University women's volleyball team played matches in December, it was 2004 when the team was led by
Kahala Kabalis Hoke. That was the last time the program had a team in the NCAA Regionals.
Eleven years later with Kabalis Hoke as their head coach, the Silverswords have a chance to return to the Promised Land.
In what may be described as their biggest contests since, the 'Swords will face Dixie State and Point Loma this weekend in matches that may determine whether or not the squad may be traveling to the Mainland for a third time this season.
Chaminade (17-7 overall, 10-6 Pacific West Conference) hosts the conference-leading Red Storm (16-8, 13-3) on Friday, then the Sea Lions (16-9, 10-6) on Saturday. Dixie State and Point Loma are both in the latest West Region rankings that were released Wednesday.
Keani Passi earned her first PacWest Player of the Week award on Monday and is fifth in the PacWest in kills per set at 4.01.
Daisia LaBrie is making a case for Freshman of the Year honors, leading the conference in hitting percentage at .377 and sixth in blocks at 0.97 bps while fellow middle blocker
Reigna Johnson is eighth at 0.93. LaBrie and Johnson are helping the 'Swords rank fourth in blocks at 2.06 bps.
Both matches will have live streaming audio on GoSwords.com.
Friday vs. Dixie StateChaminade trails the series to the Red Storm 11-5 and has dropped three of its last four meetings. However, the win came last month when the 'Swords rallied from down 0-2 to stun Dixie State for the program's first-ever win in St. George, Utah. The Red Storm hasn't lost since, winning nine straight. The current streak catapulted them to No. 8 in the West Region rankings.
Dixie State may be the most balanced team in the conference with five players averaging two or more kills per set, led by Delayne Daniels' 2.76 kps average. Taylor Duryea, who's earned the last two PacWest Freshman of the Week honors, follows at 2.70.
Saturday vs. Point LomaSince PLNU joined the PacWest in 2012, the 'Swords trail the series to the Sea Lions 4-1 with the lone win coming last season at McCabe Gym.
The match features two of the conference's top attackers with Passi and Point Loma's Heather Leavitt, who leads the conference in kills at 4.71 kps and is a two-time PacWest Player of the Week honoree. Point Loma is currently ranked No. 9 in the West Region rankings.
