HONOLULU – Perhaps the way to snap out of the recent funk for the Chaminade University women's volleyball team was to face Pacific West Conference opponents in matches that actually count in the conference standings.
The Silverswords, whose four-match losing streak was notable in that three of them were of the non-conference variety, snapped the streak Thursday by sweeping Westmont College, 25-21, 25-23, 27-25, at McCabe Gymnasium, their first sweep since Sept. 26.
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS) put down a match-high 13 kills with a .545 attack percentage and five blocks while the 'Swords also welcomed back leading attacker
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) who added 11 kills. The freshman missed the team's previous three matches while tending to a family emergency in her home state of Texas.
The match, which counted in the PacWest standings, improved the Silverswords to 6-1 in the conference, 12-11 overall. It sets up a massive showdown at McCabe Gym on Saturday against nationally fifth-ranked Point Loma, one of the last two conference unbeaten squads at 5-0.
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) and
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) each put down six kills and both had five total blocks to help them take both meetings this season including the non-conference match in Santa Barbara back in September.
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) and
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua) combined for 34 assists while
Sina Bauer (Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany/Maximillian-von-Montgelas Gymnasium Vilsbiburg) had 10 digs.
Maddie Finnegan led the Warriors (7-12, 2-4 PacWest) with 10 kills.
Facing an early three-point deficit in the opening set, the 'Swords used a 6-1 run midway through, then hung on down the stretch to take the one-set lead.
Tied at 18 in the second, CUH surged ahead and held a 23-20 edge only to see Westmont close to within 24-23 before a Warriors service error helped them go up, 2-0.
Using a 6-0 surge to grab a 12-5 lead, it appeared the 'Swords would cruise in the third set. However, Westmont countered with a 6-0 dash of its own and later would take several leads in the frame. The Warriors held set point at 24-23 but Hinton's kill combined with a block from Krueger and Sopi gave the home team match point at 25-24.
Westmont answered with the tying point but a hitting error set up Chaminade's second crack at aloha ball at 26-25 with Allen and Sopi pushing back the Warriors attack for the winner.
The 'Swords had 45 kills to the Warriors' 39 and had 42 assists and 41 digs while Westmont had 37 and 38, respectively. Chaminade also out-hit Westmont with a .222 hitting percentage while the visitors hit .121. The 'Swords also returned to their double-digit blocking ways with 10, the team's first in double-digits since beating the University of Hawai'i Hilo on Oct. 4, their last win before the losing streak began.
Saturday's highly anticipated match against Point Loma is at 6 p.m. The teams have combined to win the last four PacWest championships with Chaminade winning it three times including last season.
