HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team made a rather loud statement in the final day of the Hawai'i Challenge at McCabe Gymnasium on Saturday.
The Silverswords dispatched No. 23 Cal Poly Pomona, 25-20, 25-22, 25-18, in their first set of the afternoon. They finished with a 25-17, 24-26, 25-13, 25-11 win over American International College in the tournament's final match.
Ajack Malual (Rome, Italy/Tambosi ETI) totaled 33 kills and hit .500 on day while
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) added 23 kills and 22 digs to help the 'Swords improve to 8-0 on the season, one shy of the best start in school history set in 2018.
CUH 3, CPP 0
The Cal Poly Pomona encounter was a rematch of last November's NCAA West Regional semifinal. And like they did in that match, the Silverswords rolled by taking all three sets against the nationally-ranked Broncos.
Malual slammed down 16 kills and had five blocks to help Chaminade hit .328 in the match while
Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Alaska/Schul- and Leistungsportszentrum Berlin HS) and
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) each had eight successful attacks and three blocks.
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) had 34 assists and a team-high 14 digs for the 'Swords while Corti and
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) each had 12 digs.
As a team, Chaminade put down 51 kills to the Broncos' 39 and out-dug them, 57-to-40. The 'Swords also had a near-flawless match, surrendering just one service ace.
CPP (3-1) was led by Samantha Campion and Madison Novak who each had 12 kills.
CUH 3, AIC 1
On paper, it had the makings of a marquee matchup for Chaminade against American International College, a 30-win program from a year ago.
However, the Silverswords, in the first-ever meeting between the two programs, got the better of AIC by putting down 56 kills with 53 assists, 65 digs and holding a 6-to-3 edge in total team blocks.
The 'Swords also got a season-high 15 service aces against the Massachusetts-based school with
Kendall Rios (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) getting down four and three from
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS), who also had a season-high 27 digs.
Malual also set a season and career high with 17 kills against the Yellow Jackets while Corti added 14 kills and 10 digs. Schilling had seven kills and hit .636 with no attack errors and Lopez tallying five total blocks.
Ama dished out 42 assists, 17 more than AIC had as a team.
The Silverswords are back on the road this weekend where they will be visiting Cal Poly Pomona's home court at Kellogg Arena in the Cal Poly Pomona/Azusa Pacific Crossover. Chaminade draws San Francisco State on Friday morning then meets Northwest Nazarene in the afternoon.
