HONOLULU – Thursday was one big party for the Chaminade University women's volleyball team. The Silverswords not only celebrated their seniors, they did so in style, clinching a championship in the process.
The Silverswords on Aloha Senior Night completed their home schedule with a 25-15, 25-14, 24-26, 25-18 win over in-city rival Hawai'i Pacific University at McCabe Gymnasium to clinch at least a share of the Pacific West Conference title, their third in the past four years.
All nine of their seniors had a hand in the win including 13 kills each from
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) and
Anna Stucchi (Roncello, Italy/Santa Clara University/I.I.S. Ezio Vanoni HS). Ka'apuni added three blocks while Stucchi had four, and
Letizia Cammillucci (Padova, Italy/San Jose State/Liceo Amedeo di Savoia Duca D'asosta HS) slammed down 12 more kills, had eight digs and tied her career high with six service aces.
Chaminade, the seventh-ranked squad according to the AVCA Top 25 Poll, improved to 26-4 overall and 19-0 in the PacWest. The 'Swords not only won all their home matches (12-0) for the first time in program history but also extended their winning streak to a record 16 straight. The 'Swords also captured the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA West Regional as they own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Point Loma (23-1, 18-1 PacWest).
Other seniors who exceled in their final home match included:
- Outside hitter Heavenly Campbell (Waialua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Idaho/Damien HS) who had four kills and a block.
- Libero Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) with 12 digs and one ace.
- Middle blocker Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) with six kills and four blocks.
- Right-side hitter Brooklyn Poling (Gilbert, Ariz./Western Carolina Univ./Perry HS) who had two kills and two blocks.
- Right-side hitter Kendall Rios (Tustin, Calif./Foothill), playing in her record 140th match in a Chaminade uniform, recorded a kill and also has the distinction of being the program's first-ever three-time PacWest champion.
- Setter Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) who had 31 assists and seven digs.
Ella Dotson had 13 kills for the Sharks, finishing their season at 2-24 and 2-18 in the PacWest.
The 'Swords had seemingly few problems in taking the first two sets in rather convincing fashion. But HPU ran off the third frame's first four points as their lead swelled to as many as 15-8. Chaminade would methodically work its way back and caught the Sharks at 23-all. The teams traded the next three points before Kate Allen found the far right corner to force an extra set.
Riding its momentum, HPU managed to hang with CUH in the fourth set, trailing just 13-12. But Cammillucci did her magic at the service line as the PacWest leader in aces with 50 entering the evening, dealt four consecutive aces, which proved to be the turning point of the set and give them a 21-14 edge. Although four straight errors allowed the Sharks to close to within 22-18, Stucchi and Poling teamed up for consecutive blocks then Cammillucci slammed down an overpass at aloha ball.
Chaminade hit .267 with 56 kills, 50 assists, 56 digs, 11 aces and eight total team blocks. HPU was held to a .089 attack percentage with 35 kills, 30 assists, 44 digs, eight aces and five blocks.
The Silverswords can capture the PacWest title outright with a win at the University of Hawai'i Hilo on Saturday or a Point Loma loss to Menlo in the conference's final day of the regular season. The 'Swords can also become the first PacWest squad since California Baptist in 2017 to go undefeated through the conference slate, which would also be a program first.
First serve at Vulcans Gymnasium is set for 7 p.m.
