HONOLULU – The Chaminade University beach volleyball team defeated Hawai'i Pacific at Queen's Beach on Saturday, the sixth meeting between the two first-year programs.
The Silverswords took their penultimate match of 2024 by a 4-1 count, improving them to 6-9 on the year. All six of their victories have been against the Sharks, who fell to 0-7.
The No. 5 pairings of
Kanoelehua Misipeka (Pago Pago, American Samoa/Liberty North (Kan.) and Delaney Poling (Gilbert, Arizona/Perry HS/Park University) defeated Ella Dotson and Kylie Komo in a three-set battle. The Sharks defeated the 'Swords in the opening set, 21-16, before Misipeka and Poling rallied by winning the second and third sets, 21-9 and 15-12, to complete the comeback.
Another close matchup involved the No. 4 squads of
Hula Crisostomo (Honolulu/Univ. of Texas El Paso/Moanalua HS) and
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) against Alayna Grinstead and Sofia Cooper with the 'Swords needing extra points to close out the 28-26 opening set victory. Extra points weren't required in the second although Crisostomo and Krueger another win by deuce at 21-19.
The No. 3 squads of
Elli Tsukano (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) and
Malena Mihalik (Santa Fe, Argentina/San Eugenio) defeated Marley Sandoval and Lauren Harris in another close matchup before the 'Swords prevailed, 21-18 and 21-19.
The No. 2 pairing of
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) and
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) defeated Kohana Fukuchi & Ella Schoene, 21-11 and 21-19 to win their flight.
HPU managed to salvage a match win in the No. 1 pairings with Kate Allan and Erika Markentin by posting dual 21-17 scores.
The Silverswords and Sharks both close out their inaugural campaign seasons when they meet for a seventh and final time on Sunday at Queen's Beach. Match time begins at 8 a.m.
