AZUSA, Calif. – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team used a balanced attack and stifling defense Thursday, sweeping past Azusa Pacific University, 25-20, 25-21, 25-14, at the Felix Event Center.
Five Silverswords had at least six kills, paced by
Audrah Johnson's (Nampa, Idaho/Utah State University/Nampa HS) match-high nine while
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) added eight more along with eight digs.
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS) tacked on seven more kills with
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) putting down six and
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) five. Krueger also had nine total blocks, eight assisted, while Sopi pushed back six to help the 'Swords amass 12 total team blocks and held the Cougars to a .070 attack percentage.
The win was Chaminade's season-high fifth straight, improving them to 8-7. The match counted in the Pacific West Conference standings, improving them to 2-0. The win not only ran their conference win streak to 28 dating back to October 2023, but was also the 250th career win for head coach
Kahala Kabalis Hoke.
It was also Chaminade's ninth straight win over APU in what will likely be the final meeting between the two programs in the series that began in 1985. The Cougars will be departing for NCAA Division III starting in 2026. Azusa Pacific leads the all-time series, 13-11.
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua) and
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) combined for 32 assists with
Sina Bauer (Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany/Maximillian-von-Montgelas Gymnasium Vilsbiburg) scooping up 15 digs.
Flora Sebestyen had a team-high eight kills for APU (5-5, 1-1 PacWest).
Trailing 19-18 in the opening set, the 'Swords' 7-1 run enabled them to take the stanza, with Sopi accounting for four of them with a kill and three block assists. Krueger had a hand in three with a kill and two blocks assists, teaming with Sopi on both.
Chaminade never trailed in the second set, although APU constantly hung around throughout. Late in the frame and the 'Swords nursing an 18-17 lead,
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) put down two of her four kills while Johnson had two more successful attacks to help CUH pull away for a 2-0 advantage.
The Silverswords distanced themselves early in the third set with Allen making eight straight trips to the service line which helped them build a 9-2 advantage, part of an 11-1 run to ensure the sweep.
Chaminade hit .252 with 43 kills, 36 assists and 41 digs. APU was held to 29 kills, 28 assists and 33 digs.
The Silverswords' southern California road trip continues Saturday at Vanguard University. First set is slated for 3 p.m. Hawai'i time.
