HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team's 2026 season got off to a successful start Thursday with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-19 sweep over the University of Alaska Anchorage in the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis), last season's Pacific West Conference Freshman of the Year, put down a match-high 14 kills for the Silverswords, who dropped all three matches in last year's Challenge in Anchorage.
Transfer
Siria Guerini (Martinengo, Italy/Universita Telematica Pegaso/Liceo don Lorenzo Milani HS) added eight kills as did
Mykelle Brainard (Carlsbad, Calif./Pacific Ridge), who tied her career high, in the NCAA's first match of 2026 match in all three divisions (Division I begins Friday while Division III starts next Thursday).
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) added five kills while
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) chipped in with four more and three total blocks.
Lilinoe Paschoal (Paukukalo, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) had 25 assists, three service aces and three kills while
Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) had 14 digs, one shy from her career high.
Kyana Gabriel led the Seawolves with 10 kills.
Trailing 22-21 in the opening set, the 'Swords forced two UAA hitting errors while Paschoal picked up an ace with Allen closing out the match with a successful attack.
The 'Swords used another 4-0 run midway through the second set to break open a 16-all score. Krueger put down two kills while Allen had another and an ace during the span to help CUH take a two-set advantage.
Up 17-16 in the final set, Guerini put down three kills during Chaminade's decisive 6-1 surge to help them close the match in three.
The Silverswords hit .283 in the match with 46 kills while holding the Seawolves to a .202 clip with 32 kills. Despite getting out-blocked, 6-to-3, CUH out-dug Anchorage, 45-to-36, and had 44 assists to their 27.
The Silverswords will face 16th-ranked Alaska Fairbanks in Friday's match which begins at noon.
