HONOLULU – All eyes were at McCabe Gymnasium on Saturday with two of the Pacific West Conference leaders in women's volleyball clashing for the only time in the regular season.
The highly anticipated meeting between Chaminade University and Point Loma Nazarene University, who have combined to win the last four PacWest titles, certainly did not disappoint by going to the limit.
The Silverswords left everything on the floor but ultimately fell to the nationally ranked No. 5 Sea Lions in a five-set classic, 25-23, 15-25, 25-19, 21-25, 15-10 in a match that lasted over two-and-a-half hours.
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) put down a team-high 16 kills while
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) added a career-high 13 more and
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS) 11 for the Silverswords who fell to 12-12 on the season and 6-2 in the PacWest.
Audrah Johnson (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS) and
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) combined for 17 kills while Krueger and Sopi had six and five blocks, respectively.
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) had 26 digs and
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua) dished out 23 with a career-best 17 digs.
Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) and
Sina Bauer (Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany/Maximillian-von-Montgelas Gymnasium Vilsbiburg) combined for 30 digs between them.
All-American Abigail Nua put down 20 kills for Point Loma, which improved to 18-2 and remained undefeated in the PacWest at 7-0.
Trailing as many as six midway through the opening set, the 'Swords clawed back and chopped the deficit to 23-21 before Point Loma closed out the frame.
Chaminade responded in the next set with a six-point edge of its own before the Sea Lions got to within a deuce. CUH, which did not trail in the stanza, tied the match at 1, courtesy of a 5-0 run to end Set 2, forcing Point Loma to hit minus.-103 (seven kills, 11 errors, 39 attacks).
The Sea Lions put the 'Swords into a must-win fourth set situation, which they did, thanks to Allen who accounted for three points on two kills and a block, taking four of the set's final six points.
There were six ties and one lead change to start the decisive fifth set but it was Point Loma which had the big run, breaking an 8-all tie with five straight points to help them win the match.
Chaminade piled up 60 kills and hit .166 to Point Loma's 58 kills and .126 attack percentage. Although the 'Swords amassed 13 total team blocks, they gave the opposition free points with 11 service errors.
The Silverswords close out their current home stand on Tuesday when they face Hawai'i Pacific University at McCabe Gym. HPU won the first meeting, which was non-conference, in five sets on Oct. 15. Tuesday's rematch will count in the PacWest standings. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
