HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team celebrated Aloha Senior Night in style on Friday not only with a win but by also clinching a berth in the upcoming Pacific West Conference Championships on their home floor of McCabe Gymnasium.
Five Silverswords posted at least five kills, led by one of their two seniors, right-side hitter
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS), who had a team-high six along with five blocks as they swept Menlo College, 25-19, 25-15, 25-22. The 'Swords' other senior, setter
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua), had 15 assists and three service aces, both team highs.
Audrah Johnson (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS),
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons),
Maylynn Mitchell (Corona, Calif./Orange Lutheran) and
Beele Wieczorek (Wiesbaden, Germany/Elly-Heuss School) all had five kills apiece as the 'Swords ended the regular season at 16-13 and 9-3 in the PacWest. Krueger also had six blocks.
The Silverswords actually clinched the last of the four coveted tournament spots while their match was in progress when Biola lost to Fresno Pacific in four sets.
Sina Bauer (Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany/Maximillian-von-Montgelas Gymnasium Vilsbiburg) and
Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) both had eight digs for Chaminade.
Fuka Kikuchi led the Oaks (8-16, 3-8 PacWest) with a match-high 13 kills.
Chaminade never trailed in the first set with Menlo forging an 18-all tie before a pair of Wieczoek kills helped them pull away.
The 'Swords used an early 6-1 run to power them to the second set win. Mitchell slammed down all five of her kills in the frame.
The Oaks seemed poised to force a fourth set with a 22-19 lead but the Silverswords scored the last six points with Iramina at the service line for the final five during the rally and gain the sweep.
Chaminade hit .223 on the night while holding Menlo to .018. The 'Swords put down 35 kills on 33 assists, 39 digs, six aces and nine total team blocks while the Oaks had 29 kills, 25 assists, 37 digs, two aces and seven blocks.
The Silverswords, along with Fresno Pacific, Point Loma and Hawai'i Hilo, make up the four-team field in next week's PacWest Championships on their home floor of McCabe Gym which will determine the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament. The pairings will be announced Saturday night.
The championships, the first held by the PacWest in volleyball since 2000, gets underway Thursday with the semifinals at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. with the winners advancing to the championship match on Friday at 6 p.m.
