HONOLULU – The box score – and history – will show that the Dixie State women's volleyball team defeated Chaminade University in three sets Friday at McCabe Gym.
However, in perhaps one of the most courageous performances by the program in years, the Silverswords showed no quit despite being swept 25-23, 25-16, 25-23 by the league-leading Red Storm.
Reigning Pacific West Conference Player of the Week
Keani Passi hammered down a career-high 25 kills in defeat.
Chaminade, which only had eight players in uniform, fell to 17-8 overall and 10-7 in the PacWest while Dixie State (17-9, 14-4) reduced its magic number to clinch the conference by one.
Cassie Rushlow contributed with eight kills and two blocks while
Terezie Cernosek and
Kasse-Ann Kiriu-Dela Cruz made their first career starts with Cernosek, playing in her first match in nearly two months, putting down a career-high six kills and hitting .417 in the match. Kiriu-Dela Cruz even recorded her first career kill as a 'Sword. Also making her first start of the year was
Ku`ulei Lynch.
Natashya Enos dished out a career-best 35 assists while
Brenda Walker had a team-high 12 digs.
The Red Storm was led by Lindsay Jones' nine kills while Delayne Daniel had seven.
Chaminade went to Passi early and often to begin the match as she put down four straight kills. Rushlow then took over for a pair of successful spikes and the Silverswords grabbed an 8-3 lead. Rushlow would get the next two Chaminade kills but the DSU slowly worked its way back into the set. A Cernosek solo block, followed by a Rushlow kill and a service ace by
Skyler Curry gave the 'Swords a 21-19 lead, forcing the Red Storm to call their final timeout of the set. However, the Silversword could not maintain the momentum as they committed five straight serve, attack and receiving errors which helped the Red Storm take the first set.
In the second set, a 6-0 run helped DSU capture the second set to go up 2-0.
In Set 3, both teams battled throughout with no more than three points separating them. DSU managed to grab a four-point lead at 22-18 then Passi ripped down two more kills. After the Red Storm got the side-out to go up 23-20, Cernosek and Passi combined for three straight kills as the 'Swords tied the set at 23. But a Taylor Duryea kill and a service ace from Alex Anderson ended the match.
Chaminade had 43 kills to Dixie State's 33 but the Red Storm controlled the serving game with 12 aces. The Silveswords were also out-hit .250-.238 and out-blocked 7-4.
The 'Swords will return to action Saturday when they host Point Loma at McCabe Gym at 7 p.m. with live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
