HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team had their hands full Saturday against Pacific West-leading Azusa Pacific University in looking to make history
Despite rallying from a 0-2 hole, the Silverswords were not able to overcome the Cougars' formidable block in APU's 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 24-26, 15-9 win Saturday at McCabe Gym.
The loss snapped Chaminade's eight-match winning streak, dropping them to 21-5 overall and 15-5 in the PacWest. It also denied the 'Swords an opportunity for their 22nd win which would've set the school record for single-season victories. The loss meant that Chaminade and Hawai'i Hilo flipped the third and fourth spots in the standings after the Vulcans swept Point Loma shortly after the 'Swords' match ended.
Azusa Pacific, coming off a five-set win the previous night at Hawai'i Pacific University, amassed a whopping 19 total team blocks to improve to 22-6 and 18-2 in the conference. APU owns a one-game lead over Biola which beat Notre Dame de Namur earlier in the day. Azusa Pacific's sixth-straight win also clinched the PacWest's automatic berth in the NCAA West Regional as Biola is not eligible for NCAA championships until its probationary status concludes.
Rachel Reedy (Temple City, Calif./Arcadia) powered down a career-high 20 kills in defeat while
Emma Tecklenburg (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) put down 15 and had 12 digs.
Brooke Bell (Escondido, Calif./North Idaho College/Calvin Christian HS) added 10 with a .333 hitting percentage.
APU was paced by Natalie Klapp's match-high 23 kills. Julianne Miller had 11 kills and 11 blocks. Four of Miller's blocks were of the solo variety.
Claire Zanon (Beaverton, Ore./Jesuit) added eight kills and season-high 22 digs for Chaminade.
Terezie Cernosek (Santa Clarita, Calif./Valencia) contributed with seven kills and a team-best three blocks.
Danielle Wiley (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) dished out 27 assists while
Skyler Curry (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake) added 26.
Nina Torio (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) had 10 digs for Chaminade.
Tecklenburg, Zanon, Wiley and
Tate Lutu (Honolulu/Sacred Hearts) each had two service aces.
The 'Swords made APU work towards especially at the ending of the second set. Down 19-22, the 'Swords rallied back with four consecutive points and took a 23-22 lead. But a serving error and a pair of Chaminade hitting errors proved costly as the loss put them in a 0-2 hole.
In Set 3, it was Azusa Pacific rallying, chopping a 23-18 deficit with four straight to pull to within a point. But Chaminade forced extra sets with a Cernosek kill and Bell's stuff of Sara Wagenveld at set point.
APU then threatened to take the match in four sets holding a 23-20 lead. CUH responded with a Reedy kill then Tecklenburg recorded both of her aces back-to-back to knot the score at 23. The Cougars then got a kill from Clapp to set up match point but again Chaminade replied. Successful spikes from Reedy and Tecklenburg gave set point to the 'Swords then Reedy's smash sent the match to a decisive fifth set. It was the fourth time this season APU had squandered a 2-0 lead.
But in the fifth, Azusa Pacific scored eight of the set's first 10 points to essentially put the set and match out of reach. APU outhit CUH .375 to -.176 and got four blocks in the final set.
Azusa Pacific hit .304 to Chaminade's .182, although the home team led 64-59 in kills, 60-54 in assists, 67-57 in digs and 8-3 in aces. But it was APU's 19 blocks to CUH's five that proved too much.
Although the 'Swords cannot win the conference championship, they still remain in contention for an at-large spot in the NCAA West Regional. Chaminade was ranked eighth in the latest posted rankings with the top eight qualifying for the postseason. The next and final regular season rankings will be released Wednesday.
The Silverswords close out the regular season next week with their final two matches. They host Fresno Pacific on Friday and UH Hilo on Saturday on Senior Night.
