AZUSA, Calif. – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team opened a crucial four-match road trip Monday against the new Pacific West Conference leaders.
 
However, Azusa Pacific came out and dealt the Silverswords a 25-14, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19 defeat at the Felix Event Center.
 
The loss was the 'Swords' third straight and dropped them to 19-6 overall and 13-4 in the PacWest. It also put them 3 1/2 matches behind the Cougars (22-4, 16-2 PacWest) with five remaining.
 
Emma Tecklenburg (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) put down a match-high 15 kills for Chaminade. Claire Zanon (Beaverton, Ore./Jesuit) added 11 kills and 11 digs, her fourth double-double of the year. Annah Rivera (Granada Hills, Calif./Bishop Alemany) contributed with 10 kills.
 
Aliyah Morrison led Azusa Pacific, winners of six straight, with 12 kills.
 
APU had a quick start to the match, taking leads of 6-1, 12-3 and 17-5 on its way to a comfortable first set win.
 
The start to the second set was a battle with 14 straight points coming via side-out. Chaminade was finally able to string together three consecutive natural points to take a 10-8 lead. The Cougars rallied with four straight for a 12-10 APU lead but the 'Swords later went on a 7-2 run to take a 20-16 lead. Azusa Pacific fought back again to close within a point four times before Rachel Reedy (Temple City, Calif./Arcadia) and Jacqueline Wolfe (Laguna Hills, Calif./Irvine Valley CC/Mater Dei HS) finished it with a block to tie the match.
 
The 'Swords had a handful of slim leads in the third set but APU ran off six of the last seven points to take a 2-1 lead.
 
Chaminade was in good position to send the match into a fifth set, taking leads of 10-6 lead and later 15-13. But the set's turning point came when the Cougars scored five straight to take an 18-15 lead and, ultimately, the match win.
 
Reedy, whose hometown is just a few miles outside Azusa, had seven kills with Wolfe adding a four kills and five total blocks, both season highs.
 
Natashya Enos (Kahalu'u, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Saint Francis) had 24 assists while Alecza Abary (Fontanta, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) had 18. Leka Kiner-Falefa (Honolulu/UNLV/Mid-Pacific Institute) made 17 digs.
 
Chaminade hit .182 on the night while Azusa Pacific hit .300. The 'Swords also had nine total team blocks on the evening.
 
The Silverswords will be at Concordia Irvine on Wednesday.