SAN DIEGO – In a match-up of the top two squads in the Pacific West Conference, the No. 15 Chaminade University women's volleyball team could not hold on to a pair of set leads, dropping a tough five-set decision to Point Loma.
The Sea Lions rallied despite trailing after Sets 1 and 3 to claim the 23-25, 25-15, 19-25, 25-21, 15-6 win at Golden Gymnasium.
The loss not only spoiled their 1,000th all-time match, it also snapped the Silverswords' 10-match winning streak and dropped them to 23-3 on the season and 11-3 in the PacWest. Point Loma won its 14th straight and improved to 17-4 and 14-0 in the conference, to put a stranglehold in the pursuit of their first conference title. The Sea Lions' PacWest lead swelled to three over Chaminade, which in all likelihood will end the 'Swords' two-year reign as PacWest champions.
Point Loma also swept the season series, which realistically means a four-match lead over Chaminade with six left to play, the first time the Silverswords were swept in a season series since Biola in 2021.
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) put down 15 kills and had 15 digs in the loss while
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) added 11.
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) and
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) each had 10 kills for Chaminade, as did
Ajack Malual (Rome, Italy/Tambosi ETI), who returned after sitting out the previous two matches due to an injury.
Lopez also added a team-high four blocks while
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) had 46 assists, 12 digs and six kills with
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS) getting 20 digs.
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) had a season-high 12 digs.
Abigail Nua had 22 kills and 19 digs for Point Loma.
The opening frame set the tone for the match with the largest lead at three, held by Chaminade at 17-14. Corti, who struggled with five attack errors and no kills to start the match, finally got two to fall and help the 'Swords win the first set.
Point Loma jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the next frame and never looked back to even the match at one. Chaminade rallied from an early 11-6 deficit in the third set, thanks to a 13-5 surge which saw them out-score the Sea Lions, 8-0, in natural points. Corti put down three kills while Schilling, Ama and Ka'apuni each had two during the run.
The Silverswords' last lead of the match came at 2-1 in the fourth set before Point Loma ran off four straight points to grab the lead for good, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.
The Sea Lions scored the fifth set's first three points to help them run away and clinch the match.
Chaminade, which has thrived from the service line this season, was held to a season-low three service aces while Point Loma, a middle-of-the-pack serving team, had seven.
The Sea Lions, who seemingly kept every ball alive and won most of the long rallies during the match, maintained their status as the PacWest's top blocking team with 15 total team blocks.
Chaminade had 62 kills to Point Loma's 61 while assists were also in their favor at 56-to-53. The Sea Lions held the digs advantage, 77-to-74. The 'Swords were also held to a .163 hitting percentage to the Sea Lions' .233.
The Silverswords will look to rebound on Monday as they make the long drive from San Diego to Santa Barbara to face Westmont College, the teams' second meeting in eight days.
