HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team closed out their 2022 home slate Wednesday with a 25-18, 25-11, 25-19 win over in-city rival Hawai'i Pacific University at McCabe Gymnasium.
Graduate transfer
Sasha Colombo (Milan, Italy/Colorado State/Liceo Scientifico Giordano Bruno HS) put down 10 kills while fellow seniors
Lataisia Saulala (Morgan Hill, Calif./Oakwood) and
Brooklen Pe'a (Woods Cross, Utah/Youngstown State/Bountiful HS) each had seven in their final home matches.
Seniors
Alexia Byrnes (Chicago/Youngstown State/Saint Francis HS),
Alecza Abary (Fontana, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) and
Kaybrie Pe'a (Woods Cross, Utah/Youngstown State/Bountiful HS) also played their final home contests. Byrnes had 17 assists, 10 digs and a career-high five service aces while Abary had nine assists, four digs and three aces, the latter tying her season high. Pe'a contributed with a pair of digs.
The win improved the Silverswords to 20-7 overall, marking the program's fourth consecutive 20-win campaign during championship seasons (excluding the COVID-19 shortened spring 2021 season that did not have a championship). At 15-1 in the Pacific West Conference, Chaminade has a two-match lead over Point Loma (13-3) and reduced their magic number to two to clinch at least a tie to repeat as conference champions with four contests remaining.
Freshman
Ajack Malual (Trento, Italy/Tambosi ETI) and sophomore
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) had seven and five kills, respectively.
Like they have done over the course of the last month, Chaminade used the service line to help overwhelm the opposition. The 'Swords, who entered Wednesday ranked eighth nationally at 2.41 aces per set, tied their season high, dealing 13 aces, the second straight match they have done so. They also recorded their sixth match of double-digit aces in their past eight contests.
The Sharks (2-20, 2-14 PacWest) were led by Riley Gill's 10 kills.
As with the case of all long-standing rivalries no matter what the records are, the opening set was competitive with HPU more than holding their own. Chaminade led by a mere two points at 19-17 but Byrnes put down her only kill of the night on a dump shot which set off three more Silversword points that led to their opening set win.
Despite the Sharks taking the first two points of the second set, the 'Swords wasted no time in setting the pace, opening up an 11-3 lead. Colombo put down four kills during the run while Saulala and
Brooklen Pe'a each put down one. The 'Swords ended the frame on a 7-1 surge with Byrnes tallying three of her aces in that span.
A 7-0 blitz early in the third set had the makings of another runaway. Abary was at the service line for six of those points including all three of her aces. However, the prideful Sharks, also playing their final match on O'ahu this season, were able to run off four of five points to close to within 19-15. But
Brooklen Pe'a got two straight points with a kill and her lone ace of the evening while libero
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) added a kill. Malual got Chaminade's final two points including a kill at aloha ball to send the vocal crowd home happy.
Chaminade hit .301 in the match with 39 kills and six total blocks and held HPU to .049, 21 kills and three blocks. The 'Swords surrendered just four aces and had 39 digs while the Sharks scooped up 37 digs.
The Silverswords will finish the regular season on the road with four matches in the Northern California and Central Valley regions. They begin Monday at Holy Names University with first serve at 4 p.m. Hawai'i time.
