BELLINGHAM, Wash. – After coming off the high of shocking the 11th-ranked team in Division II earlier in the morning, one might worry about the effects of a big-win hangover.
That scenario did not come to pass.
The Chaminade University women's volleyball, just hours removed from their upset of MSU Denver, showed no signs of slowing down as they rolled past Sonoma State in their second match on Saturday, 25-20, 25-22, 25-11, at the Western Washington Invitational at Carver Gymnasium.
Six different Silverswords had at least three kills in a balanced attack, led by
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/University of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) who had nine as Chaminade got its first three-set sweep of the season.
Latasia Saulala (Morgan Hill, Calif./Oakwood) followed with five kills and five total blocks while
Brooklen Pe'a (Woods Cross, Utah/Youngstown State/Bountiful HS) and
Annah Rivera (Granada Hills, Calif./Bishop Alemany) each had four kills with the latter getting her first start of the season. Meanwhile
Alyssa Grodell (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) got her first action in a Chaminade uniform and put down four kills, all in the third set.
In the first two sets, the 'Swords built early leads then staved off the Seawolves in the final stages.
But in the third set, Chaminade (5-1) reeled off 10 of the first 11 points to finish the sweep in relative ease.
Alexia Byrnes (Chicago/Youngstown State/Saint Francis) had 16 assists while sharing setting duties with
Alecza Abary (Fontana, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga), who saw her first action since 2019, who had nine.
Anna Dalla Vecchia (Vicenza, Italy/University of San Francisco/IIS S.B. Boscardin HS) came up with 14 digs while Rivera had 10 more.
Chaminade hit .200 in the match while holding Sonoma State (0-4) to .112. The 'Swords committed just three service errors while the Seawolves made 14.
The 'Swords wrap up the Invitational Sunday when they face Central Washington at 8 a.m. Hawai'i time then at 1 p.m. with a showdown against No. 14 Western Washington.
