SAN DIEGO – Success at the Pacific West Conference's Southern California pod has been few and far between for the Chaminade University women's volleyball team.
However, 2021 may be one of the exceptions.
Setter
Alexia Byrnes (Chicago/Youngstown State/Saint Francis HS) recorded the program's first triple-double in a quarter-century Thursday while
Anna Dalla Vecchia (Vicenza, Italy/University of San Francisco/IIS S.B. Boscardin HS) set a school record in digs to help the Silverswords rally at Point Loma, 22-25, 25-13, 20-25, 25-21, 15-9, in Golden Gymnasium.
Chaminade improved to 21-5 on the year and 11-3 in the Pacific West Conference, finishing their SoCal trip with two wins against one defeat. Only one other time the 'Swords came out of the area with two wins – 2015 when Dixie State of Utah was in the conference which was then known as the Southwest pod.
Byrnes did her usual work with 32 assists and 15 digs but her 13 kills helped her become the first 'Sword since Boo Arnold (13 kills, 12 digs and 11 blocks) against Seattle Pacific on Sept. 18, 1996. Byrnes, who was either one kill or one dig shy of triple-doubles twice during her three years at Youngstown State, tied her career-high in kills which she accomplished at YSU this past spring.
Dalla Vecchia recorded 15 digs to give her 490 on the season, breaking her current teammate
Leka Kiner-Falefa's (Honolulu/UNLV/Mid-Pacific Institute) previous mark of 489 in 2019. She also had seven service aces, the most by a 'Sword since Cassie Rushlow also had seven in 2014.
Kyra McCain (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) and
Marcelle Butler (Woodstock, Ga./Howard University/Sequoyah HS) each added 12 kills with
Lataisia Saulala (Morgan Hill, Calif./Oakwood) contributing with nine. McCain also had a team-high three blocks.
Brooklen Pe'a (Woods Cross, Utah/Youngstown State/Bountiful HS) and
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/University of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) had 15 digs.
Madie Fox, Torina Hommes and Claire Smith each had nine kills for the Sea Lions who fell to 12-9 and 8-5 in the PacWest.
After dropping the first set, the 'Swords held the Sea Lions to a minus-.071 attack percentage in the next set. They also used runs of 7-0 and 5-0 to convincingly square the match.
Chaminade jumped out to an 8-1 lead to start the third set before Point Loma surged back. The 'Swords led 15-14 but PLNU's 9-3 run would help them take the third set and a 2-to-1 lead.
Trailing 16-14 in the fourth, Chaminade got a kill and ace from Corti to help the Silverswords take an 18-16 edge. A 5-0 'Swords' run put them up 23-17 then Byrnes got her 10th kill on a dump to set up set point. Pe'a then forced a fifth set with her sixth kill of the match.
Tied at 6 in the decisive set, Chaminade ran off four straight points to effectively put the match out of reach.
Chaminade put down 60 kills to Point Loma's 48 and out-hit them .213-to-160. The 'Swords had 16 aces, tied for the fifth-most in school history, although they were out-blocked 8-to-5.
Chaminade was originally set to be at PacWest-leading Azusa Pacific on Saturday but COVID-19 protocols there postponed the match. Instead the Silverswords will return home and face Fresno Pacific on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at McCabe Gymnasium. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
