HONOLULU – The first time the Chaminade University and Hawai'i Pacific University women's volleyball teams met this season, the Sharks pulled out an upset in a five-set marathon to end an 11-match losing streak in the all-time series.
On Tuesday, the rivalry resumed, this time at McCabe Gymnasium.
Unlike the Oct. 15 meeting at the Shark Tank, there was a lot more at stake, particularly since the rematch counted towards the Pacific West Conference standings.
Audrah Johnson (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS), who had a season-high 19 kills in the first meeting at HPU, put down 15, her second-highest total, on Tuesday while
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) added 11 more to help the Silverswords overcome a messy first set to defeat the Sharks, 18-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-19, and split the season series.
The win put the 'Swords, who wrapped up a string of seven matches on O'ahu, at 13-12 overall and, more importantly, 7-2 in the PacWest, pushing them a half-game over fourth-place Hawai'i Hilo, and three over fifth-place Biola. The top four teams qualify for the first-ever PacWest Tournament which will be at McCabe Gym on Nov. 21 and 22. Chaminade also gained two points in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS) added nine kills and three blocks while
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) and
Maylynn Mitchell (Corona, Calif./Orange Lutheran) put down eight apiece with the former pushing back four blocks.
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) dished out 28 assists with
Sina Bauer (Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany/Maximillian-von-Montgelas Gymnasium Vilsbiburg) scooping up 15 digs and
Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) getting 11.
Marley Sandoval led the scrappy Sharks (5-19, 0-8 PacWest) with 11 kills.
In a near-mirror image of the first meeting, the Silverswords encountered problems in the opening set by committing eight hitting errors to HPU's three. The Sharks also kept several rallies alive and out-dug the 'Swords, 19-to-14, helping them take a 1-0 lead.
An extremely motivated 'Swords squad would use a 9-1 run midway through the second, turning a 14-13 lead into a 23-14 runaway to even the set. Mitchell gave them a lift off the bench with a pair of kills while Johnson had three during the run.
Tied at 17 in the pivotal third set, the 'Swords forced two Lindsey Tapp hitting errors including a double-block from Sopi and
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) with the latter also putting down a kill to give CUH some breathing room at 21-18. However the Sharks closed to within 23-22 but a Krueger kill set up set-point followed by an HPU hitting error which gave the 'Swords a 2-1 lead.
Early in what proved to be the final set, Sopi, Allen and Mitchell put down consecutive attacks then Krueger delivered a service ace to give Chaminade a 7-4 edge. Another 4-0 run later in the set helped the home team pull away down the stretch.
The 'Swords hit .238 in the match with 59 kills, 56 assists, 64 digs and seven total team blocks. HPU had a hitting percentage of .159 with 44 kills, 40 assists, 54 digs and six blocks.
The Silverswords will be on the road in Northern California and the Central Valley for their next three matches, two of which will count towards the PacWest standings. The trip opens on Monday, Nov. 3 at Dominican University of California and ends at nationally ranked and undefeated Fresno Pacific (18-0, 6-0 PacWest) on Nov. 7.
