HONOLULU – One of the Chaminade University volleyball team's newest members is coming off a whirlwind summer which took her to one of the biggest tournaments in the Americas.
Junior middle blocker
Lizanyela Lopez – or Lizzy as she is known to her new Silverswords' teammates – recently returned from Hermosilla, Mexico, where she played for the Peru National Team at the Women's U23 Pan-American Cup which concluded on July 23.
Lopez helped her country to a fourth-place finish in the Pan-Am Cup, the fourth time in the past 11 years the Peruvians had just missed out on winning a medal. Peru captured the silver in 2018.
Lopez was a starter in five of Peru's six matches, totaling 27 kills, 16 digs and six blocks. She put down nine kills against the eventual champion Dominican Republic in pool play, her highest during the Cup. She also had five kills and four digs in Peru's silver medal match against Argentina, a four-set defeat.
"It's always a great sensation playing for your country," Lopez said. "We could've done better in the tournament but I'm happy because I got to play a lot."
Lopez, who could actually suit up for the U21 squad, was assigned to play in the older age group because of her talent. "I think (Peru's governing body) trust me as a player and they think I can play for the older team.
"Also, I won't be able to play for the team in my age group since I'll be here playing at Chaminade."
The incoming junior, a junior college first team All-American last year at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, will see more overseas competition when she and her Chaminade teammates make a week-long tour to Osaka, Japan starting this week. The tour will see the team face off against several universities in the city as well as experience the Japanese culture and the influence it had on Hawai'i culture today.
Lopez is not the only Chaminade member to have ties to this year's Pan-Am Cup. Head Athletic Trainer Rebecca Duran was the trainer for the United States' Junior National Team which captured the gold medal in the U21 Cup in late May.
