HONOLULU – Heading into the 2018 season, the Chaminade University women's volleyball team had high expectations.
With the team returning virtually intact from 2017, the Silverswords began a journey that started in late August on the Big Island and culminated in Bellingham, Wash., with the program's first NCAA West Regional appearance since 2004.
Their 23-6 mark broke the 22-year-old school-record for wins while their 17-5 record in the Pacific West Conference also set another for conference wins. Their tie for third place in the PacWest standings is also the highest since 2007 when the conference had just seven teams.
Chaminade drew the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, Cal State San Bernardino, as its first round opponent in the regional but that didn't seem to faze the 'Swords who went toe-to-toe with the Coyotes who were in the regional for the 19th straight season. Although CSUSB won in three, the Silverswords had a late lead in the first set and was serving set-point in the third.
Despite their quick exit from the postseason, head coach
Kahala Kabalis Hoke reflected back on the accomplishments on the squad during their historic season.
"I am extremely proud of the team and their dedication to success this season," she said. "We're so fortunate for the opportunity to compete in the postseason at the regionals and being there amongst the top teams in our region confirmed to us that we can compete with at this level and that we do belong here.
"It's been years in the making and I'm so grateful for all the support we've received and for all my assistant coaches and players, past and present, who helped build this program to where we are today."
Part of the reason for such success was Chaminade's attack which finished the season sixth nationally in kills at 14.63 per set and eighth in assists per set at 13.63.
Those averages nearly held up in the regional. The final stat lines in their match against the Coyotes proved that the 'Swords could compete with the best. Outside of hitting percentage and service aces, the match was nearly even with the Silverswords winning the battle in kills (43-41) while CSUSB had the edge in assists (40-39), team blocks (7-5) and digs (48-44).
The offensive juggernauts were outside hitters
Emma Tecklenburg (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) and
Alana Handy (Burlington, Wash./Bethune-Cookman Univ./Burlington-Edison HS) who were 1-2 in the conference in kills.
Brooke Bell (Escondido, Calif./North Idaho College/Calvin Christian HS) had a breakout season, finishing third in the PacWest in hitting percentage at .399 which was also ranked sixth in the nation.
The result of such success also translated to individual honors. The Silverswords placed five members to the All-PacWest Teams, their most since 2006.
Tecklenburg was named to the first team as well as all-region second team while Handy and Bell earned second team honors with Handy as the conference's Newcomer of the Year.
Rachel Reedy (Temple City, Calif./Arcadia) was named to the third team as the conference's only player to finish in the PacWest's top 10 in both hitting percentage (.349) and kills (2.81 per set). Finally
Skyler Curry (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake) concluded her career on the honorable mention team while finishing in the school's top 10 in assists.
The good news is that four of their All-PacWest selections will return as well as other key returnees in outside hitter
Claire Zanon (Beaverton, Ore./Jesuit), part-time starting setter
Danielle Wiley (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial), libero
Nina Torio (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) and super utility player
Tate Lutu (Honolulu/Sacred Hearts).
However the team will also have to address the losses of Curry and middles Bell and
Terezie Cernosek (Santa Clarita, Calif./Valencia).
But there is enough firepower returning as they look to capture their first PacWest volleyball title since 1996. A conference championship would also earn the automatic bid to the postseason meaning back-to-back regional berths for the first time in program history. And with the Silverswords getting a taste of the postseason, Kabalis Hoke says the team is motivated even more to not only return to the tournament but to earn a trip to Denver next December, site of the NCAA Championships where the eight regional champions face each other for all the marbles.
"The experiences gained from this season ignited a huge fire under us and our growth and desire to be atop the conference and compete at regionals are stronger than ever before," she said.
