ATHERTON, Calif. – With a highly anticipated Pacific West Conference match at undefeated Fresno Pacific looming on the horizon, the Chaminade University women's volleyball team did not look ahead and took care of business on Wednesday, defeating a gritty Menlo College squad, 25-17, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, at the Hayes-Prim Pavilion.
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) put down 13 kills and tied her season high with five blocks while
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS) added 10 kills for the 'Swords who improved to 15-12. The match was a non-conference tilt, keeping their PacWest record at 8-2 and maintained their third-place hold in the conference standings. The top four qualify for the PacWest Championships at McCabe Gymnasium in two weeks.
Audrah Johnson (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS) contributed with nine more successful attacks and
Maylynn Mitchell (Corona, Calif./Orange Lutheran) had seven.
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) set a career-high with nine blocks with Sopi pushing back seven more as Chaminade amassed 15 total team blocks.
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) and
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua) combined for 35 assists with
Sina Bauer (Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany/Maximillian-von-Montgelas Gymnasium Vilsbiburg) collecting 12 digs.
Fuka Kikuchi, one of the PacWest's leading attackers at 3.46 kills per set entering the match, led Menlo (7-14) with 14 kills but was held to a .154 hitting percentage. It was the first meeting between the two teams this season with the rematch next Friday, Nov. 14 in Honolulu.
A 7-0 'Swords run midway through the first set broke open a 9-all tie, allowing them to take the frame.
Trailing 23-18 late in the second set, CUH closed to within 23-22 but Menlo managed to side out the rest of the way to even the match.
In the pivotal third set, Chaminade used a 6-0 surge, paced by Allen and Sopi who teamed for three blocks during the run while Sopi added a kill to unknot a 3-all deadlock. Menlo managed to close within two late in the set before Sopi and Allen got respective kills to send the 'Swords to a 2-1 lead.
The Silverswords were staring at the possibility of a fifth set, trailing by counts of 22-19 and 23-21 in the fourth. However, the 'Swords ran off the frame's final four points with kills from Johnson, Hinton and
Beele Wieczorek (Wiesbaden, Germany/Elly-Heuss School). At aloha ball, Hinton and
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) got the block to give the 'Swords the gutty road victory as well as their 57th straight win over a PacWest Northern California foe.
Chaminade hit .196 but limited Menlo to a .097 percentage and out-killed them, 54-to-43.
The Silverswords can now focus on Fresno Pacific on Friday to wrap up their road trip. The PacWest-leading Sunbirds, 21-0 and 9-0 in the conference, are ranked 12th in the AVCA Coaches Poll. First serve is set for 4 p.m. Hawai'i time.
