POMONA, Calif. – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team opened the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase on Friday by splitting its two matches at Kellogg Arena.
The Silverswords dropped their opening match to No. 3 Western Washington, 25-21, 25-18, 25-15, suffering their first loss of the season.
However the 'Swords bounced back by taking a 25-22, 25-16, 27-25 decision over host Cal Poly Pomona in the nightcap.
Emma Tecklenburg (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) put down a combined 18 kills on the day, giving her 987 career kills. Reigning Pacific West Conference Player of the Week
Lataisia Saulala (Morgan Hill, Calif./Oakwood) added 17.
Senior setter
Natashya Enos (Kahalu'u, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Saint Francis) had 41 combined assists on the day, moving her into seventh in the school's all-time list with 1,540.
The Silverswords are 5-1 on the season.
No. 3 Western Washington 3, Chaminade 0
The 'Swords scored the match's first three points against the defending NCAA West Region champions and were able to maintain the lead up until 9-7. The Vikings then scored five of the next six points to take the first set lead for good.
The 'Swords managed four ties early in the second set, the last coming at 4-all but Western Washington's 5-0 run helped them to take a 2-0 lead.
Chaminade was able to take a brief 5-4 lead with the help of three Saulala kills, one from
Claire Zanon (Beaverton, Ore./Jesuit) and an ace from
Leka Kiner-Falefa (Honolulu/UNLV/Mid-Pacific Institute). But much as it did throughout the match, Western Washington used runs of 4-0 and 6-0 to sweep the match and hand Chaminade its seventh straight loss to nationally-ranked opponents.
Tecklenburg paced the 'Swords with 10 kills followed by Saulala and
Annah Rivera (Granada Hills, Calif./Bishop Alemany) with nine each. Zanon and
Rachel Reedy (Temple City, Calif./Arcadia) each had four kills.
Enos dished out 21 assists to move her past
Valentina Bevilacqua in the school's assist list.
Danielle Wiley (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) added 14 and Kiner-Falefa picked up 14 digs in the loss.
Chaminade hit .215 with 42 kills and also had 36 assists and 46 digs. The 'Swords also had just one block, a solo roof from Saulala.
The Vikings (7-0) were led by 12 kills each from Kayleigh Harper and Calley Heilborn.
WWU hit .398 in the match and .469 in the final two sets combined. The Vikings also committed just four attack errors in the match including just one in the second and third sets. They also had a side-out percentage of 76 percent.
Chaminade 3, Cal Poly Pomona 0
Some three hours after the loss to Western Washington, the 'Swords returned to the Kellogg Arena floor against a Mustangs squad that had home-court advantage and was ranked No. 20 as recently as last week. CPP was also determined to stop a two-match losing streak.
Early on, it seemed the hosts had righted their ship to take an 11-7 lead but Tecklenburg put down a pair of kills during a 4-0 run to tie the first set at 11. Then trailing 16-14, Chaminade got the big run which eluded them against Western Washington by going on a 6-0 surge with Zanon accounting for three points via two kills and combining with
Jacqueline Wolfe (Laguna Hills, Calif./Irvine Valley CC/Mater Dei HS) with a block. CPP eventually caught the 'Swords to square the set at 22 but Reedy took over, hammering down three straight attacks to give Set 1 to Chaminade.
The Silverswords set the tone for the second set early. Zanon got three points on a pair of kills and another block as Chaminade rolled to a 7-1 lead. The 'Swords put down the hammer later with a 7-0 blitz, forcing four Mustang hitting errors during the stretch.
With the home team staring at a third consecutive defeat in their own gym, the Mustangs had leads of 4-0, 9-4 and 18-13. Chaminade came roaring back with five straight points, eventually taking a 21-19 edge behind kills from Saulala and Zanon. Tecklenburg's solo roof put the 'Swords up 24-21 but CPP staved off four match points to tie it at 25-all. Reedy's kill put the 'Swords ahead then Enos delivered an ace at aloha ball to polish off the win.
The Silverswords demonstrated offensive balance with four players accumulating eight or more kills, led by Zanon's season-high 10, one shy of her career high. Reedy added nine while Tecklenburg and Saulala each had eight. Zanon also hit .714 with no hitting errors while Saulala's percentage was a healthy .636.
Enos dished out 20 assists with Wiley adding 18. Zanon also added a match-high 14 digs.
The Mustangs (2-4) were paced by Jazminn Parrish's 13 kills.
The Silverswords wrap the Showcase Saturday against Seattle Pacific (2-5) and Cal State Monterey Bay (4-2).
