HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University women's volleyball team traveled to the Big Island for an early key Pacific West Conference matchup against the University of Hawai'i Hilo.
 
However, few things went right for the Silverswords, picked second in the conference preseason poll in the 25-17, 25-13, 25-22 loss to the Vulcans, picked third, at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
 
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) and Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis), the reigning PacWest Player of the Week, each had seven kills as the 'Swords (7-5, 1-1 PacWest) saw their five-match winning streak snapped.
 
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) had four blocks for CUH with Lilinoe Paschoal (Paukukalo, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) dishing out 10 assists. Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua) had 18 digs, a career high in a three-set match.
 
The 'Swords hit minus-.028, the team's first negative attack percentage since August 2022.
 
The defeat to UH Hilo was their second straight dating back to last season, marking Chaminade's first consecutive losses to the Vulcans for the first time since the spring to fall of 2021. They also suffered their first sweep to Hilo for the first time since Sept. 20, 2014.
 
Chase Koepke had 14 kills for UH Hilo (9-3, 1-0 PacWest).
 
Taking an 11-9 lead in the opening set, Hilo ran off eight straight points which seemed to open the flood gates for the remainder of the night.
 
The Vulcans did not trail in the second set and led for most of the third to earn the win.
 
Chaminade put down 22 kills with 21 assists, 42 digs, four service aces and five total team blocks. UH Hilo hit .183 with 39 kills, 33 assists, 49 digs, three aces and four blocks.
 
The schedule doesn't get easier for the Silverswords, hitting the conference mainland road for the first time this season with the daunting Southern California road trip. It begins with a Thursday date at nationally ranked Point Loma, the defending PacWest champion and preseason pick to repeat as conference champs.