LONG BEACH, Calif. – Coming off in what was their most important stretch of the season to put them on the verge of a Pacific West Conference title, the Chaminade University women's volleyball team was honored Monday with two conference honors.
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) was tabbed by the conference as the Co-Defender of the Week while the Silverswords earned the Team of the Week honor.
Meanwhile the 'Swords (25-4, 18-0 PacWest) remained at No. 7 in the AVCA Division II Top 25 Poll which was released earlier on Monday.
The fifth-year libero totaled 58 digs, averaging 5.27 per set last week. Inoue had a season-high 26 digs in last Monday's win at Concordia University Irvine, 12 in their sweep at Azusa Pacific then finished off the trip with 20 at 13th-ranked Point Loma.
In her past 13 matches, Inoue has 11 double-digit dig efforts including a current run of six straight. During this stretch, she has also surpassed 20 digs six times. It is Inoue's first career PacWest honor and shares it with Dominican's Rein Bocage.
The 'Swords earned the conference team award for the fourth time this season after sweeping their southern California road trip for just the second time in program history. They ended the trip with last Saturday's highly anticipated meeting at Point Loma, scoring a four-set win which put them on the cusp of their third PacWest title in four years. Both teams had undefeated PacWest records entering the match, marking the latest two unbeaten conference teams had faced each other.
The Sea Lions' Abigail Nua was the PacWest Player of the Week.
In the new AVCA poll, the 'Swords held the No. 7 spot for the fourth straight week while Point Loma remained at 13th. Undefeated Ferris State remains atop the poll while St. Cloud State is at No. 2. Nebraska-Kearney moved up to No. 3 replacing Cal Poly Pomona who slipped to sixth after losing at Cal State San Bernardino last Thursday. West Texas A&M moved from No. 6 to 5. San Francisco State is the only other West Region team in the poll at No. 20.
The Silverswords can clinch at least a share of the PacWest title on Thursday when they host Hawai'i Pacific University at McCabe Gymnasium in their final home match of the season with first serve at 6 p.m. Nine seniors will be honored following the match including Inoue,
Letizia Cammillucci (Padova, Italy/San Jose State/Liceo Amedeo di Savoia Duca D'asosta HS),
Heavenly Campbell (Waialua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Idaho/Damien HS),
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS),
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS),
Brooklyn Poling (Gilbert, Ariz./Western Carolina Univ./Perry HS),
Kendall Rios (Tustin, Calif./Foothill),
Anna Stucchi (Roncello, Italy/Santa Clara University/I.I.S. Ezio Vanoni HS) and
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS).
