HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team hosted a block party at McCabe Gymnasium on the second night of the Aloha State Showdown on Friday to help them break out of their recent funk.
The No. 24-ranked Silverswords amassed 13 total team blocks in their 25-23, 25-21, 25-17 win over Central Washington University, setting a single-match school record for blocks in a three-set match.
The victory snapped the 'Swords' two-match losing streak, improving them to 1-1 in the Showdown and 3-6 overall. Their three-set block total surpassed the previous mark of 12 set in 2023 at Azusa Pacific and 1996 against BYU-Hawai'i.
Audrah Johnson (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS) put down a match-high 12 kills for Chaminade while
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS) was Central Washington's primary antagonizer at the net with a career-high eight total blocks, tied for the second highest by a Silversword in a three-setter. It was just one behind the mark held by Hall of Famer Terri Bertulfo, who pushed back nine against Point Loma in 1991.
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) and
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) also got into the blocking act by setting career-bests with seven and six, respectively.
Malena Mihalik (Santa Fe, Argentina/San Eugenio) put down nine kills while Sopi added seven. Freshman setter
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) dished out 16 assists while
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua) had 14, a new career high.
Sina Bauer (Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany/Maximillian-von-Montgelas Gymnasium Vilsbiburg) had 13 digs with
Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) adding nine.
Corinne Westby had nine kills for Central Washington (3-3 overall, 1-2 Showdown), which was among those squads receiving votes in the AVCA poll.
Allen helped key the 'Swords' first set win with six straight trips to the service line, which included two of her four aces, turning a one-point deficit into a 17-12 lead. CWU closed to within 24-23 but
Audrah Johnson's (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS) kill was the clincher to give CUH the one-set advantage.
Chaminade never trailed in any of the next two sets as their wall would stuff the Wildcats' attacks for five total team blocks each in Sets 2 and 3. Sopi had six of her blocks in the final two stanzas.
The 'Swords hit .187, held the Wildcats to .069 and totaled 40 kills, 38 assists, nine aces and 46 digs. Central Washington had 28 kills, two aces and 38 digs.
The Silverswords close out the Showdown with a pair of matches on Saturday, both at McCabe Gym, facing Florida Tech at 10 a.m. then UC Merced at 6 p.m. The University of Hawai'i Hilo and Florida Tech will face each other in the 3 p.m. match.
