ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team rebounded from a rough stretch on the Big Island on Thursday with a rousing 20-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-22 win against 15th-ranked Simon Fraser to open the Central Washington Invitational at Nicholson Arena.
 
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) put down a career-high 17 kills in the win to help the Silverswords even their record at 2-2 on the year.
 
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) added 13 kills while hitting .423 and Siria Guerini (Martinengo, Italy/Universita Telematica Pegaso/Liceo don Lorenzo Milani HS) contributed with 13 kills.
 
The 'Swords came up with 11 services aces on the afternoon, four from Malena Mihalik (Santa Fe, Argentina/San Eugenio) and three more from libero Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua), who also set a career standard, coming up with 19 digs. Lilinoe Paschoal (Paukukalo, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) dished out 24 assists on the victory with Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) getting four blocks.
 
Brooklyn Robinson led the Red Leafs (0-1) with 16 kills in what will likely be the final meeting between the two programs. Simon Fraser is in its final year of NCAA membership and will return to full-time Canadian intercollegiate athletics next year. Chaminade leads the overall series, 6-2.
 
After dropping the first set and trailing 10-9 in the second, Mihalik made 10 straight trips to the service line which included three of her aces during the run to put CUH up 18-11 to help even the match.
 
The 'Swords survived an SFU rally late in the third set, finally getting the winner on Guerini's kills on their fifth set point.
 
Leading 23-22 in the fourth, Pagud got consecutive aces to end the match.
 
Chaminade posted a .254 hitting percentage on 53 kills, 50 assists, 66 digs and six total blocks. Simon Fraser hit .252 with 51 kills, 45 assists, 54 digs, five aces and eight blocks.
 
The Silverswords continue the CWU Invitational on Friday against No. 20 Western Washington at 10:30 a.m. Hawai'i time.