FAIRBANKS, Alaska – In the 2022 season opener, the Chaminade University women's volleyball team suffered a tough five-set defeat to the University of Alaska at McCabe Gymnasium.
In the same scenario just over a year later, the Silverswords returned the favor.
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) powered down a match-high 17 kills in her playing debut in a Chaminade uniform while three-time All-Pacific West Conference selection
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) added 16 kills, 11 digs and three service aces in their 20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19 win in the first day of the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium.
Ajack Malual (Rome, Italy/Tambosi ETI) added 12 kills for Chaminade (1-0) which kicked off its 40th year of intercollegiate volleyball.
Ella Bines had 13 kills for the Nanooks who fell to 0-2 after dropping their first match to Hawai'i Hilo earlier in the afternoon.
The Silverswords, who are just outside the AVCA/TARAFLEX Division II Top 25 Poll at No. 26, got an additional seven kills and four blocks from another newcomer,
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) while former Nanook
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) returned to her old haunts with five kills.
Two more 'Swords were also impressive in their debuts. Graduate transfer
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS), who was named the PacWest Preseason Libero of the Year before even logging a single serve, had 24 digs and eight assists while
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane), the successor to two-time all-conference setter
Alexia Byrnes, dished out 49 assists with 11 digs and six kills.
After hitting just .216 in dropping the opening set, the 'Swords stormed back to even the match with a .364 attack percentage with Ka'apuni and Corti combining for 12 of the team's 18 kills.
Chaminade used a 6-1 run midway through the third set thanks to Corti and Schilling who accounted for five of the points.
In the fourth set, the 'Swords found themselves trailing 13-9 but ran off seven straight points. Ka'apuni, Lopez and Ama each had two points during the rally to take a 16-13 edge. Leading 20-19, Chaminade closed the match with five straight points to give the 'Swords the season-opening victory.
The Silverswords hit .274 in the match, out-pointing UAF in kills by a 66-to-48 count. They also had the decisive edge in assists (63-43) and digs (75-61).
Chaminade faces 14th-ranked Alaska Anchorage on Friday in a highly anticipated rematch of last year's NCAA West Region quarterfinal where the 'Swords pulled off the upset of the NCAA Tournament over the then-top-seeded Seawolves. First serve is set for 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
