HONOLULU – Less than 24 hours after the Chaminade University women's volleyball team saw their record winning streak halted, the Silverswords returned to their victorious ways Saturday with a 25-16, 25-13, 14-25, 25-20 win over Point Loma at McCabe Gymnasium.
Emma Tecklenburg (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) slammed down a match-high 21 kills and hit .342 while
Annah Rivera (Granada Hills, Calif./Bishop Alemany) added 11 with a .308 percentage to help the Silverswords improve to 19-3 overall and maintain their first-place lead in the Pacific West Conference standings at 13-1.
Latasia Saulala (Morgan Hill, Calif./Oakwood) added eight kills with a .462 percentage with
Claire Zanon (Beaverton, Ore./Jesuit) and
Rachel Reedy (Temple City, Calif./Arcadia) putting down five each to help the 'Swords hit .271 on the afternoon.
Madie Fox led the Sea Lions (12-9, 8-5 PacWest) with 15 kills and four total blocks.
The Silverswords, whose loss to Azusa Pacific on Friday left a deflated feeling following the match, came out the block and erupted for the set's first five points which included two service aces from
Natashya Enos (Kahalu'u, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Saint Francis).
However Point Loma worked its way back into the match, coming within two points four times including at 16-14. But Chaminade went on a 7-0 run with Zanon serving three aces during the surge to help the 'Swords take the opening set.
A pair of 5-0 runs by the 'Swords helped them to win the second set convincingly but in the third, it was Point Loma's turn to make noise. PLNU opened up a 10-2 lead before Chaminade rallied to within 15-12. However the Sea Lions scored nine of the set's next 10 points to send the match into extra sets.
Looking to force a fifth set, Point Loma rallied from as many as six points down to tie the set at 18 and 20. Tecklenburg and Rivera slammed down consecutive kills then Rivera solo blocked Grace Hicks to make it 23-20. After a Sea Lions' hitting error to set up aloha ball, Zanon put the match away with a rip down the right line.
Despite being out-blocked and out-aced by 10-7 counts, the 'Swords held Point Loma to a .120 attack percentage and had 53 kills to PLNU's 36 and 49 assists to 30.
Enos had 26 assists while
Alecza Abary (Fontana, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) had 16. The 'Swords were also sparked late in the fourth set by
Danielle Wiley (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) who assisted in three of their final five points in the match.
Leka Kiner-Falefa (Honolulu/UNLV/Mid-Pacific Institute) had 19 digs while Zanon had 10 and three aces. Tecklenburg, Saulala and
Rae Montrose (Cedar Hills, Utah/Lone Peak) each had two blocks.
The Silverswords will get eight days off then end their eight-match home stand on Sunday, Nov. 3 against interstate rival, Hawai'i Hilo, at McCabe Gym. Chaminade defeated UH Hilo in five earlier this season on the Big Island but the Vulcans have won 11 straight, the longest active streak in the PacWest. Match time is set for 1 p.m.
