HONOLULU – In the first meeting between the Chaminade University and Fresno Pacific University women's volleyball teams on Oct. 7, the Silverswords were taken to the limit in a five-set showdown.
In Friday's rematch at McCabe Gymnasium, there was no drama.
Chaminade, ranked No. 16 in the AVCA Division II Poll, got 12 kills from
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) and eight each from
Ajack Malual (Rome, Italy/Tambosi ETI) and
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) in their convincing 25-17, 25-17, 25-14 win. It is their 14th consecutive win in the series, the program's longest active streak against a single opponent.
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) added another six kills and a team-best three blocks in Chaminade's eighth straight win to improve them to 21-2 overall and 9-2 in the Pacific West Conference.
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) had 30 assists while
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS), the conference's digs leader, had 15 digs and a pair of service aces.
The Sunbirds (8-11, 4-6 PacWest), who were held to a minus-.032 attack percentage, were paced by Corinne Acosta's seven kills.
Chaminade opened up a 9-2 lead in the opening set but the Sunbirds fought back, closing to within 12-9. A 6-1 CUH run would extend its lead to 18-10 to help pull away.
But FPU answered in the second set, taking an 11-7, forcing the 'Swords to call a timeout. That seemed to be the wakeup call they needed with
Kendall Rios (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) making five straight trips to the service line which included an ace, part of a 6-0 surge to put the 'Swords up by two.
Tied at 14, Chaminade forced three attack errors on Makena Ogas during the decisive 6-1 run to put them up two-sets-to-none.
What proved to be the final set saw the teams jostle for position again with no more than two points separating them until Chaminade's 13-10 lead. From there, the Silverswords went on one of their trademark runs, outscoring Fresno Pacific, 9-0, in natural points.
Chaminade hit .253 on the night, with 39 kills, 35 assists, 48 digs, eight aces and five total team blocks.
The Sunbirds had 19 kills, 18 assists, 30 digs, four blocks and one ace.
The Silverswords wrap up their home stand Sunday against PacWest newcomer Westmont College at McCabe Gym. First serve is set for 3 p.m.
