HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team opened the 2025 Hawai'i Challenge with a five-set defeat to Cal State Los Angeles but rebounded with a straight set sweep of Cal Poly Humboldt at McCabe Gymnasium.
The Silverswords dropped a 12-25, 19-25, 25-22, 27-25, 15-10 decision to the Golden Eagles, suffering their first reverse sweep since Hawai'i Pacific University in the non-championship spring season in April 2021. It was also their third five-set match in the first four contests of the season.
However, the 'Swords, ranked No. 9 in the AVCA Preseason Poll, came out swinging in their nightcap match, hitting .378 in a convincing 25-15, 25-10, 25-17 win over the Lumberjacks for their first win this season.
The split put their record at 1-4 on the season.
CSULA 3, CUH 2
Chaminade, in its first home match of the season, had very little problems in dispatching the Cal State LA in the first two sets, totaling 37 kills and a .290 attack percentage including a whopping .406 in the opening set.
The 'Swords were poised for the sweep with a 20-16 edge in the third set but three attack and reception errors opened the door for the Golden Eagles to give them life with the set win.
A back-and-forth fourth set came down to the wire, with Chaminade serving for the match at 25-24. But CSULA got a pair of Ayjah Landers kill then a hitting error on set-point forced a fifth set.
CUH never led in the final stanza, although they tied it at 9 before the Golden Eagles' match-ending 6-1 run to complete the comeback.
Alizaysha Sopi (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Tennessee State University/Kapolei HS) had a team-high 12 kills for the Silverswords followed by
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) and
Malena Mihalik (Santa Fe, Argentina/San Eugenio) with 11 each.
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) added nine with four blocks including two solo. Mihalik also had 13 digs.
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane) and
Lilinoe Paschoal (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) combined for 22 assists.
Samarah DaCoud led Cal State LA with 19 kills.
Chaminade ended up hitting .193 in the match while CSULA hit .136.
CUH 3, Humboldt 0
Ama put down a career-high 10 kills for Chaminade while adding nine assists in her dual setter/attacker role. The junior did not commit a hitting error on just 11 swings for a .909 percentage to help the Silverswords get their first win of the season.
The 'Swords used a 6-1 run midway through the first set then had a 13-4 lead in the second to grab a two-set lead.
Chaminade used a similar script in the third, taking a 12-5 advantage to pave the way for the sweep.
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) and Sopi each put down six swings while the latter had a team-high four blocks. Paschoal had 14 assists for the 'Swords and
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua) had a career-high five service aces, including on three straight serves late in Set 2.
Brielle Wilson led the 'Jacks (0-1) with nine kills.
The 'Swords held Humboldt to a meager .095 hitting percentage and out-blocked them, 7-to-3.
The Hawai'i Challenge continues on Friday with the Silverswords facing Cal State East Bay (1-0) in the final match of the day at 7 p.m. The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs faces the Lumberjacks in the first match at 10 a.m., followed by Cal State LA and St. Mary's of Texas at 4 p.m.
