HONOLULU – The 16th-ranked Chaminade University women's volleyball team knows that whomever the opponent is on any given day, they will take everything that is thrown at them.
The latest to do so was visiting Biola University on Wednesday. The stakes were certainly high with the winner taking over sole possession of second place in the Pacific West Conference.
The Silverswords had to fight tooth and nail to earn a 22-25, 25-13, 25-20, 30-28 win over the Eagles at McCabe Gymnasium. The fourth set was particularly gritty for the 'Swords, who survived four set points to claim the win.
For the first time this season, Chaminade had four players put down double-digit kills, led by a season-high 18 from
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) – tied for her most in a 'Swords' uniform – while
Ajack Malual (Rome, Italy/Tambosi ETI) added 14.
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) put down a season-high 11 kills as did
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS), all coming in the final three sets.
The win improved the Silverswords to 20-2 overall, marking the fifth consecutive 20-win championship season (excluding the COVID-shortened spring 2021 season where there were just 16 total matches), a stretch unmatched by any other sport at Chaminade (men's basketball had four straight such seasons from 1981-85).
More importantly, it moved them ahead of the Eagles in the conference placements at 8-2, just two matches behind conference-leading Point Loma.
Meredith Fisher and Kendall Vandertuig each had 13 kills for Biola, which fell to 11-6 and 7-3 in the PacWest.
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS) came up with a season-high 30 digs for Chaminade, tying her with Athena Maskarich for the fifth-most in a four-set match. Corti added 14 digs while
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) dished out 47 assists. Lopez and
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) each totaled four blocks.
The Eagles took advantage of their height, out-blocking Chaminade 4-to-0 to grab the first set.
But the 'Swords replied emphatically in the second set, turning the tables on Biola with four team blocks of their own while hitting a healthy .323 to tie the match.
Chaminade continued the momentum in the third set, taking a 23-14 lead in the third set. However, the Eagles made the crowd of 237 uneasy, thanks to a 5-1 run before Ka'apuni put down a kill to put the 'Swords up, 2-1.
The fourth set proved to be a street fight with no more than two points separating the teams, until Biola grabbed a 17-14 edge which grew to 20-16. Trailing 23-21, Lopez, Malual and Ka'apuni put down consecutive attacks, setting up aloha ball at 24-23. That's when the fireworks began.
An Eagles block followed by an ace set up their first set point at 25-24 as they looked to send the match to a decisive fifth set but Malual's successful attack knotted the set. Biola would also force set points at 26, 27 and 28 but the 'Swords responded each instance. After Corti's final kill tied at 28, Chaminade went to their attack leader, Malual, who put down back-to-back shots to give the 'Swords the dub.
Chaminade hit .240, had 66 kills, 57 assists, 78 digs and 10 total team blocks. They also had just four service aces, a season-low.
Biola was held to a .131 attack percentage, its second-lowest of the season. The Eagles put down 44 kills, 41 assists, three aces, 72 digs and 11 blocks.
The Silverswords return to action Friday against Fresno Pacific, which took them to five sets back on Oct. 7 in the first meeting. First serve at McCabe Gym is set for 7 p.m.
