ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team on Friday suffered a tough five-set defeat to No. 20 Western Washington University on the second day of the Central Washington Invitational at Nicholson Arena.
 
The Silverswords took the first two sets before the Vikings rallied to win the next three in their thrilling but disappointing 26-28, 21-25, 25-20, 26-24, 16-14 loss.
 
Outside hitter Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis), setter Lilinoe Paschoal (Paukukalo, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) and libero Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) and all set career highs for the Silverswords, who dropped to 2-3.
 
Hinton put down 19 kills, Paschoal dished out 34 assists and Pagud had 33 digs, tied for the eighth-most in program history. Hinton also had four blocks on the afternoon while Paschoal had 14 digs and three service aces.
 
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) added another 13 kills while Siria Guerini (Martinengo, Italy/Universita Telematica Pegaso/Liceo don Lorenzo Milani HS) 11 more. Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) had seven blocks, three solo, and seven kills
 
Delaney Speer had 16 kills for the Vikings (1-1). Emily Vossenkuhl accounted for 15 blocks, 13 assisted, for WWU, which amassed 20 total team blocks. Chaminade had nine blocks as a team.
 
Chaminade took the first set, getting the winner on its third set-point then rolled to as many as a 10-point lead in the second to take a two-set lead.
 
The Vikings scored five of the final six points in the third set to stay alive then staved off match point in the fourth to send the match to a decisive fifth set.
 
Down 14-11, the Silverswords fought off three match points, then had one of their own after Hinton's final kill. But Western Washington got back-to-back kills from Aly Skagen to finish their stunning rally.
 
CUH hit .134 to WWU's .217 while statistically, the match was nearly even in kills (WWU 64-63), assists (WWU 61-60), aces (CUH 8-6) and digs (WWU 80-79).
 
The Silverswords will close out the tournament Saturday at 10:30 a.m. against host Central Washington.