HONOLULU – The 14th-ranked Chaminade University women's volleyball team on Friday ended the 2023 regular season with a 25-15, 25-16, 25-21 win over the University of Hawai'i Hilo at McCabe Gymnasium.
Senior
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS), playing at home for the final time in a Silversword uniform, put down a match-high 13 kills while adding nine digs and two service aces.
Two other 'Swords also played their final McCabe Gym matches with
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS) amassing 19 digs and three aces while
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) put down five kills and had two blocks. All three seniors were honored following the match.
Corti's two aces moved to her to second in the all-time aces list with 121 while her 868 kills ranks ninth. Combined with her lone spring 2021 year at the University of San Francisco, the Varese, Italy native has 1,102 career kills, 1,184 digs and 140 aces.
Crisostomo, who will end the regular season as the PacWest's digs champion at 5.02 per set, has 1,151 digs at the NCAA level with two years at Texas El Paso. Combined with her two years at New Mexico Military Institute, she has 2,726 collegiate digs.
Schilling's .321 career attack percentage in her two years in a Chaminade uniform ranks fourth all-time while her 0.78 blocks per set at CUH ranks ninth.
Ajack Malual (Rome, Italy/Tambosi ETI) had nine kills and
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) added seven and four blocks to help the 'Swords complete a record-breaking 29-3 season. They also wrapped up Pacific West Conference action at 17-3, finishing as the runners-up after Point Loma (18-1) clinched the outright title on Thursday.
Raelee Samio led UH Hilo (12-15, 9-11 PacWest) with eight kills.
Chaminade roared to a 10-1 lead in the first set then, after the Vulcans closed to within 12-8, the 'Swords went on an 8-1 run to open up a 21-10 lead to help them take the first set.
Like they did in the first set, the 'Swords began the second with a 10-2 lead but UH Hilo reduced the deficit to 18-13 before a run of four straight points – two off consecutive aces by
Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) – to help Chaminade win the frame.
The third set was much more even with the Silverswords managing to get some distance late with a 24-18 edge. The Vulcans managed to stave off three match points but at aloha ball at 24-21, Hilo native
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) put down her fifth kill to give the 'Swords the win.
Chaminade had 43 kills and hit .262 to UH Hilo's 26 kills and .083 percentage. The 'Swords had nine aces to Hilo's two, out-dug them, 58-to-44 and had seven total team blocks to their four.
With the regular season in the books, the Silverswords will now wait for the NCAA Selection Show. Although they have likely wrapped up an at-large bid, the question would be if they remain the West Region's No. 1-ranked squad. The two teams behind them in the rankings, No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino and No. 3 Cal State Los Angeles, will face each other Saturday evening for the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament title and that conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA Selection Show will be on Monday at 2:30 p.m. Hawai'i time at NCAA.com. The top eight ranked teams in each region will receive bids to the NCAA Division II Tournament, which begins Thursday, Nov. 30 at a West Region host institution. The eight region winners will then advance to the NCAA Championships in Moon Township, Pennsylvania from Dec. 7-9.
