HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team did what they needed to as the challenging part of their school looms on the horizon for a possible championship run.
The Silverswords rumbled past Notre Dame de Namur at McCabe Gym Sunday in a 25-14, 25-13, 28-26, sweep, extending their school-record winning streak to 13.
Rachel Reedy (Temple City, Calif./Arcadia) powered down a match-high 13 kills while hitting .375 while
Emma Tecklenburg (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) and
Annah Rivera (Granada Hills, Calif./Bishop Alemany) each added nine kills for the Silverswords who improved to 18-2 overall and 12-0 in the Pacific West Conference, solidifying their grip atop the conference standings.
The Argonauts (2-16, 1-10 PacWest) were led by Samantha Shaffer who had four kills.
The 'Swords hit .283 in the match and held NDNU to a minus-.022 attack percentage. The Argos had just 17 kills as a team, just four more than Reedy had herself.
Alana Handy (Burlington, Wash./Bethune-Cookman Univ./Burlington-Edison HS) added six kills followed by
Jacqueline Wolfe (Laguna Hills, Calif./Irvine Valley CC/Mater Dei) and
Rae Montrose (Cedar Hills, Utah/Lone Peak) with three each. Even libero
Leka Kiner-Falefa (Honolulu/UNLV/Mid-Pacific Institute) got into the fun with two kills.
After spotting the Argos a two-point lead to open the match, Wolfe got Chaminade going with two of her three block solos for back-to-back points. Trailing 3-2, the 'Swords went on a 7-0 run with Reedy and Rivera combining for five kills while
Nina Torio (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) put down a service ace to help them cruise to the first set win.
In Set 2, Chaminade used a 14-3 to turn a slim 8-7 edge into another rout.
Using an adjusted lineup to start the third set which included a new setter in
Riley Lynch (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kalaheo) and defensive specialist
Isabella Tessitore (San Diego/Torrey Pines), the Argos broke out leads of 5-0, 7-2 and 8-3 before the 'Swords rallied back on a 6-0 run, taking a 9-8 advantage on double-block by Reedy and Montrose.
However NDNU got the momentum back and, at 23-19, threatened to force a fourth set. Chaminade then ran off five straight and had three cracks at aloha ball before finally Tecklenburg and Reedy smashed down back-to-back attacks to end the match.
Alecza Abary (Fontana, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) had 20 assists while
Natashya Enos (Kahalu'u, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Saint Francis) added 15. Lynch had four in her cameo appearance.
Kiner-Falefa had a match-high 16 digs while Handy and
Tatiana Toleafoa (Union City, Calif./Cal State Fullerton/James Logan HS) each had six, the latter being a season-high.
Wolfe had five total blocks while Reedy helped push back three.
The 'Swords now dive head-first into the part of the schedule that will determine their conference championship fate. Their next eight matches will be against the PacWest's upper quarter whose records are a combined 98-47 (.676).
The first step begins Friday when they host defending PacWest champion Azusa Pacific (13-3, 7-1 PacWest) at McCabe Gym. The Cougars are currently in second place. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
