SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The preverbal thorn-in-the side of the Chaminade University women's volleyball team has been Cal State Los Angeles. And for good reason.
They suffered four straight defeats to the Golden Eagles. Two of them have been in the past two NCAA West Regionals, which ended the Silverswords' season.
Friday was redemption day.
Letizia Cammillucci (Padova, Italy/San Jose State/Liceo Amedeo di Savoia Duca D'asosta HS) and
Anna Stucchi (Roncello, Italy/Santa Clara University/I.I.S. Ezio Vanoni HS) each put down 10 kills while the 'Swords hit .336 to sweep the AVCA's No.1-ranked squad and defending Division II national champions, 25-22, 25-16, 25-19, at the Yotes Classic Showcase in the Coussoulis Arena.
The win improved Chaminade to 3-2 on the year and, more importantly, gave them their first win in the Showcase after earlier losses to No. 21 Cal Poly Pomona and No. 10 St. Cloud State.
It is the first-ever victory by the Silverswords over a No. 1-ranked squad in their Division II era, which dates back to 1989, and first since October 1987 when they downed then-top-ranked Hawai'i Pacific University when both were members of the NAIA. They were previously 0-14 against No. 1-ranked foes all-time as a member of D-II. The 'Swords also won for the first time in eight tries when both they and their opponent were nationally ranked.
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS) added eight kills for the 'Swords while
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) and
Malena Mihalik (Santa Fe, Argentina/San Eugenio) each chipped in with six in a balanced attack. Lopez and Stucchi also had three blocks each.
Chaminade held Cal State LA (2-1) to a .198 hitting percentage and out-blocked them, 6-4, in snapping their eight-match win streak dating back to last season. Emily Elliott and Zuhal Cetin combined for 25 kills but the rest of the Golden Eagles accounted for only 10 more.
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) had 22 assists while
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) added 10 more. Talpash also had five kills on an assortment of dump shots and also played in the front row, getting two block assists.
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) wore the libero uniform as a starter for the first time this season, scooping up a team-high 12 digs and had four of the 'Swords' six service aces.
Chaminade rallied from an early 10-4 deficit in the opening set, catching Cal State LA at 16. Inoue ran off six straight points from the service line, putting the 'Swords up, 20-17. The Golden Eagles closed the gap to 23-22 but Cammillucci put down an attack followed by a Ka'apuni kill which gave the first set to the 'Swords. It also snapped a streak of 11 straight sets lost to the Golden Eagles.
A 12-6 run early in the second set paved the way for the 'Swords to capture the second set. Then in the third, CUH put down 16 kills and forced seven CSULA attack errors to hand them their first loss via sweep since Sept. 22, 2023.
The Silverswords will close out the Showcase on Saturday when they face tournament host Cal State San Bernardino at 2 p.m. Hawai'i time. The Coyotes are ranked eighth in the preseason poll.
