SAN FRANCISCO – The 18th-ranked Chaminade University women's volleyball team got off to – by their standards – a slow start Thursday but managed to gain a 25-20, 25-12, 25-11 win over Academy of Art at Kezar Pavilion.
Ajack Malual (Rome, Italy/Tambosi ETI) put down 12 kills and added four service aces while
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) put down 11 kills to help the Silverswords improve to 15-2 overall and 4-2 in the Pacific West Conference.
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) contributed with another eight kills, one shy of her season high, and had a team-high four total blocks to record the 'Swords' 13th straight win over the Urban Knights, their longest active winning streak against any opponent.
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) contributed with six kills and 10 digs while setter
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) dished out 29 assists to go along with 11 digs, her 10th double-double of the year. The freshman also had three kills and three blocks.
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS) paced the 'Swords with 16 digs.
ART U, which fell to 2-13 overall and 1-7 in the PacWest, was held to 18 kills as a team with Maya McClellan leading the way with eight.
The Urban Knights, who have played better than their record indicates, held the Silverswords to a negative attack percentage for much of the first set, thanks to four total team blocks. It wasn't until a late 6-1 Chaminade run that helped the 'Swords pull away to take the opener.
However, the hitting struggles seemed to get their attention in the second set. Chaminade hit .471 in the frame with no attack errors although ART U managed to hang around early, forging a 7-all tie. Ka'apuni, however, put down five kills while Malual and Schilling each had three as the 'Swords out-scored the Urban Knights, 18-5, to end the second set and go up two sets.
Chaminade then seized control of the match in the third, surrendering just one natural point, and establishing their block, thanks to Schilling's three in the final frame.
For Chaminade, it was its 41st straight win against a PacWest Northern California foe.
The 'Swords hit .280 in the match, putting down 44 kills with 41 assists, 59 digs, eight aces and four total team blocks. Academy of Art, aside from its 18 kills, had 14 assists, 43 digs and five team blocks while hitting .020.
The Silverswords will be at Fresno Pacific on Saturday with a noon Hawai'i time first serve.
