HONOLULU – In the long history of the rivalry between the Chaminade University and Hawai'i Pacific University women's volleyball teams, the series has been long dominated by the team headquartered in downtown Honolulu.
Although the Silverswords, who trail in the all-time series, 75-to-23, they have reversed the trend recently by winning 18 of the last 23 meetings. However, in the bouts in which Chaminade has been the heavy favorites on paper, the matches have been competitive.
In the 119th meeting between the two that dates back to 1984, the 10th-ranked 'Swords got off to a slow start before rolling in a 23-25, 25-16, 25-11, 25-18 win Friday at the HPU Shark Tank.
Letizia Cammillucci (Padova, Italy/San Jose State/Liceo Amedeo di Savoia Duca D'asosta HS) put down a match-high 11 kills while
Anna Stucchi (Roncello, Italy/Santa Clara University/I.I.S. Ezio Vanoni HS) and
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) added eight each to help Chaminade to its sixth straight win and improve to 16-4 overall and, at 9-0 in the Pacific West Conference, helped to keep pace in the win column with Point Loma, which is also 9-0. They also earned their first two points in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
It is the Silverswords' 10th straight against HPU, their longest streak in the rivalry.
Stucchi also delivered two aces, giving her 101 in her career ace which included her three years at Santa Clara University. She also had five total blocks while
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) chipped in with seven kills and six more blocks as the Silverswords amassed a season-high 15 total team blocks, all between the second and fourth sets.
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) quarterbacked Chaminade to 30 assists while
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) scooped up 16 digs.
HPU (1-15, 1-9 PacWest) was paced by Marley Sandoval and Ella Schoene who had eight kills each.
Much like how the trend in the rivalry has played out in recent years, the heavy underdogs used their home court advantage to open up a 17-12 lead in the opening set. Although the 'Swords eventually tied it at 23, the Sharks would take the frame, thanks in part to nine Chaminade attack errors, breaking a streak of 16 straight sets won by CUH in the series dating back to 2021.
The opening loss seemed to turn on the Silverswords' alarm, who used a set-ending 12-5 run, forcing five Sharks hitting errors during the stretch, to capture Set 2 and even the match.
The 'Swords continued to step on the gas in the third set, hitting .435 while holding HPU to a minus-.130 hitting percentage to roll in a convincing win in the frame.
The fourth set was nothing short of a Chaminade block party. The 'Swords recorded eight total team blocks and owned a stretch where five of their six points – including four consecutive – were roofs on Shark attacks. Lopez and
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) had a hand in three of them during the run.
After hitting just .140 in the first set, Chaminade's attack percentage was a combined .284 in the final three sets for a match aggregate of .237. They also held HPU to just .048 on the evening. The 'Swords put down 52 kills with 48 assists, 44 digs and eight aces. The Sharks had 39 kills, 37 assists, 45 digs, three aces and seven total team blocks.
The Silverswords will face the University of Hawai'i Hilo (13-6, 8-1 PacWest) in a key conference match-up Saturday at McCabe Gymnasium. First serve is at 3 p.m.
