BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team on Saturday was looking to complete their revenge tour which would have sent them to their first appearance in the NCAA Championships.
Unlike Thursday's stunner over top seed Alaska Anchorage which avenged an August loss, the Silverswords could not capture the same magic against third-seeded Cal State Los Angeles in the NCAA West Regional championship match.
The Silverswords saw their improbable postseason run end to the Golden Eagles, 29-27, 25-21, 25-14, at WECO Court at Carver Gymnasium, in a rematch of the Sept. 3 meeting in Los Angeles won by CSULA in three sets.
Brooklen Pe'a (Woods Cross, Utah/Youngstown State/Bountiful HS) put down a team-high 10 kills in her final match as a Silversword while
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) added six and four blocks.
Chaminade, the only No. 8 seed in the entire Division II field to advance to a regional quarterfinal – let alone a regional championship match – saw its season end at 26-7, the second-most wins in program history, which only trails last year's 27-win season.
CSULA, the CCAA regular season champion and ranked 19th in the final regular season AVCA Poll improved to 24-6, and will represent the West Region in the NCAA Championships in Seattle starting Dec. 1. Emily Elliott put down a match-high 16 kills for the Golden Eagles.
Lataisia Saulala (Morgan Hill, Calif./Oakwood) concluded her record breaking career with five kills as did
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS), who return next season.
Sasha Colombo (Milan, Italy/Colorado State/Liceo Scientifico Giordano Bruno HS), who was at times unstoppable in the regional, was held to four kills.
Alexia Byrnes (Chicago/Youngstown State/Saint Francis HS), the Pacific West Conference Player and Setter of the Year had 20 assists, eight digs and two kills in her final match. Fellow senior setter
Alecza Abary (Fontana, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) had six assists and 10 digs.
Chaminade was held to a .180 attack percentage, its lowest since Oct. 19, were out-blocked, 15-to-8, and had just five service aces to Cal State LA's nine.
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) had a match-high-tying 16 digs for the 'Swords, who actually out-dug CSULA, 53-to-50. But the Golden Eagles hit .281 with 44 kills while CUH put down 38 successful attacks.
The Golden Eagles led for majority of the opening set and grabbed a 24-21 edge. Like they did Friday against Cal Poly Pomona, the 'Swords scrapped back with two Pe'a kills and one by Corti to tie the score at 24. Inoue's ace would set up the first of two CUH set points but unlike Friday, they couldn't finish the deal as CSULA scored the final three points, handing the Silverswords an opening set loss for the first time in the regional.
In the second set, Chaminade stayed within two points of Cal State LA for much of the frame but the Golden Eagles pulled away late via three consecutive points, upping their lead to 23-19 to which the 'Swords could not recover.
In what proved to be the final set, the Silverswords saw a 10-8 deficit swell to 22-12, which helped close the books on Chaminade's season.
"We need to hold our heads up and we need to be really proud of what we did this season," head coach
Kahala Kabalis Hoke said. "Really grateful and thankful for the group we had to push through adversity and to just make that commitment to getting here and they did that.
"They did what no other group did before and we're really, really, really proud of them. Is it the result we wanted? No, but at the end of the day, as a coach looking in, I could see how invested they were that they just let that focus consume themselves. Can't be mad at that."
"I really want to let my teammates know that seeds don't matter," Pe'a said. "We're going to fight until that last whistle blows. Whatever it takes. I hear coaches say it's hard to beat a team that never gives up. Even though we weren't able to execute, if we're not giving up, that's all we can ask. As long as we're fighting, we're there, we're trusting we're just doing everything we can. Can't beat that."
Despite the disappointing conclusion, the Silverswords, who are the two-time defending PacWest champions heading into 2023, let it be known that they have arrived as perhaps the next volleyball power in the region and are here to stay.
"You are capable of everything and anything," Saulala said about future Silverswords who will attempt to build on the foundation. "(It would be great) for everyone who gets to play with these girls and this amazing coaching staff. Go 'Swords!"
Byrnes, Colombo and Corti were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
