ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team opened the 2025 season Thursday with a five-set loss to the University of Alaska in the opening day of the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge at the Alaska Airlines Center.
Freshman outside hitter
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) had a team-high 17 kills for the Silverswords, ranked No. 9 in the AVCA Preseason Poll, in their 25-16, 20-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-10 loss.
Redshirt freshman
Audrah Johnson (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS) and junior
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) each put down eight kills, a new career-high for the latter, which saw the 'Swords' seven-match winning streak in the Challenge come to an end. Allen also had four service aces. Hinton and Allen also combined for nine total blocks.
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane), settling in a new role as dual setter and attacker, came within one kill of a triple-double along with 18 assists and 19 digs.
Malena Mihalik (Santa Fe, Argentina/San Eugenio), the team's lone returning starter from last season, also had 19 digs with freshman
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) dishing out 25 assists.
Mikala Henderson had a match-high 21 kills for the Nanooks, who beat the 'Swords for the first time since 2022.
With five new starters and a new libero to start the season-opening match, the 'Swords hit negative (-.061) in the first set. However, they came back to square the match after taking the second, thanks to three kills each from Allen and
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons), who set a career-high with seven kills, while Chaminade also got four points from the service line.
After dropping the third set, CUH rallied back behind Hinton's seven kills in the frame while also getting four points thanks to its block, sending the match to a final fifth set.
Tied at 6, UAF scored four straight to take control of the fifth with 10 kills and just two attack errors to ultimately win the match.
Chaminade hit just .084, its lowest attack percentage since the 2023 season finale to Cal State Los Angeles in the NCAA West Region semifinals. The 'Swords put down 53 kills with 51 assists, 10 aces, 88 digs and nine total team blocks. The Nanooks hit .179 in the match with 52 kills, 48 assists, 74 digs and nine blocks.
The Silverswords will face host University of Alaska Anchorage on Saturday at 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
