HONOLULU – Just 24 hours after surviving a five-set thriller against Fresno Pacific University, the Chaminade University women's volleyball team on Friday found themselves again getting tested early.
Unlike Thursday, the Silverswords managed to correct themselves earlier, defeating Pacific West Conference newcomer Jessup University in four sets, 18-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-16, in the final match of a five-game home stand.
Letizia Cammillucci (Padova, Italy/San Jose State/Liceo Amedeo di Savoia Duca D'asosta HS), the reigning PacWest Player of the Week, coming off her lowest kill total (5) in nearly a month, had 13 kills and 19 digs while
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) added 12 kills and four blocks.
Anna Stucchi (Roncello, Italy/Santa Clara University/I.I.S. Ezio Vanoni HS) added 11 kills and six digs.
Chaminade, the No. 7-ranked squad in the AVCA Division II Poll, extended its winning streak to 11 straight in improving to 21-4 overall and 14-0 in the PacWest, moving a half-game above Point Loma (13-0 PacWest) in the conference standings. They also extended their conference win streak to 20 straight dating back to last season and their home win streak to 18.
Cammillucci and Ka'apuni also set personal milestones by both reaching 800 career kills. Cammillucci, who totaled 546 kills in her four years at San Jose State, is at 803 while Ka'apuni has 505 in a Chaminade uniform after two years at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) added seven kills and four blocks while
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) dished out 43 assists along with eight digs.
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) had 19 digs.
Jessup, which had the conference's third-longest win streak behind Point Loma and Chaminade, saw its five-match winning streak halted, falling to 10-9 and 6-6 in the PacWest. Eliana Sheridan and Madalyn Miller had 10 kills each for the Warriors.
Out of the gate, the 'Swords appeared to be caught in a hangover from Thursday's emotional win as they found themselves down 16-11 in the first set and trailed by as many as seven. Their sluggish start saw them commit eight attack errors including surrendering three Jessup team blocks, resulting in a measly .143 attack percentage in the opener.
The concern grew in the second set as the Warriors held a 17-15 edge but this time, the 'Swords didn't wait until the next set, using a 5-1 run, keyed by two Cammillucci kills and the first service ace of the year from
Heavenly Campbell (Waialua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Idaho/Damien HS), putting them up, 20-18. Ka'apuni would account for three of Chaminade's final four points in the set with a kill and two blocks to help them square the match.
The Silverswords didn't waste any time in taking control of the third set, jumping out to a 16-9 lead. Jessup would later close the game to 24-22 but Campbell's kill was the set finisher, putting the 'Swords up, two-sets-to-one.
In what proved to be the final set, Chaminade roared out to an 8-3 lead before the Warriors managed to close to within 12-10. Stucchi responded with four kills during a 9-2 'Swords surge that kept their win streak intact.
Chaminade hit .250 in the match while Jessup's percentage was .170. The 'Swords totaled 59 kills, 54 assists, 70 digs, eight aces and six total team blocks. The Warriors had 39 kills, 38 assists, 53 digs and five aces and, although they had six blocks, three came in the final three sets after getting a trio on their Set 1 win.
The Silverswords are back on the road which takes them to southern California which will likely determine the PacWest title. The trip begins Saturday, Nov. 9 at Biola and ends with a potential showdown with Point Loma in San Diego on Friday, Nov. 15, which could decide the conference crown.
