HONOLULU – The seventh-ranked Chaminade University women's volleyball team opened Pacific West Conference action on Thursday with a 25-16, 25-18, 25-15 win over conference newcomer Menlo College at McCabe Gymnasium.
Reigning AVCA Division II National Player of the Week
Letizia Cammillucci (Padova, Italy/San Jose State/Liceo Amedeo di Savoia Duca D'asosta HS) put down a match-high 10 kills as the Silverswords improved to 8-3 overall and 1-0 in the PacWest in the team's first home game since Aug. 29.
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) and
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) added another seven kills each with
Brooklyn Poling (Gilbert, Ariz./Western Carolina Univ./Perry HS) adding a season-high five kills in the first-ever regular season meeting between the two programs (the teams faced each in an exhibition in August 2018).
Chaminade hit a season-high .360 on the evening, its highest attack percentage since August of last season.
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) dished out 32 assists with
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua) adding eight more. Both setters also had team-leading five digs.
All 17 'Swords who were healthy and in uniform saw playing time.
Kapolei High School graduate Maya Saole-Su'e, one of four former Hawai'i high school alumnae, had six kills for the Oaks, which made its debut as a PacWest member.
Thanks to their local ties backed by a large number of Menlo fans, the Oaks managed to hang with the nationally-ranked 'Swords, forging a 6-all tie. But Ka'apuni put down four kills as CUH went on an 11-1 run for a convincing Set 1 win.
Chaminade led from start to finish in the second set, outscoring Menlo, 8-3, to begin to take a two-set lead.
However, the Oaks stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the third set before the Silverswords went on a monster run, scoring 16 of the set's next 18 points which included four Cammillucci kills and two from Poling.
Mykelle Brainard (Carlsbad, Calif./Pacific Ridge), seeing her first action in a Chaminade uniform, got into the act at the end, putting down three of her four kills – all three consecutively – which helped the 'Swords record their fifth straight PacWest sweep dating back to last season.
Although Chaminade had just one block – a solo roof from
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) – they tallied 45 kills, 43 of which were assisted, with eight service aces and 40 digs. Menlo had 28 kills on 24 assists, three aces and 25 digs and had three blocks.
The Silverswords will face Dominican University of California at 5 p.m. on Friday at McCabe Gym to wrap up their brief two-match home stand.
