HONOLULU – The first two days of the Hawai'i Challenge for the Chaminade University women's volleyball team has been about survival.
 
After avoiding being reverse-swept against Saint Martin's and surviving a feisty Western Colorado squad on Friday, the Silverswords fended off a scrappy Seattle Pacific University squad on Saturday in the Day 2 finale of Challenge at McCabe Gymnasium.
 
The 'Swords upended the Falcons, 25-20, 25-12, 25-27, 25-23 at McCabe Gymnasium.
 
Lillie Hinton (Spicewood, Texas/Lake Travis) slammed down a match-high 17 kills while Malena Mihalik (Santa Fe, Argentina/San Eugenio) put down a season-high 13 to help Chaminade improve to 5-4 overall with a 3-0 mark in the Challenge, the only undefeated team in the tournament.
 
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons) also had 13 kills but did not commit a hitting error in 25 swings as the 'Swords hit a season-high .285 on the season.
 
Allison Panter (Denver, Colo./Portland State University/Denver School of Science and Technology HS) contributed with a season-best nine kills and Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) had eight kills, four service aces and three blocks.
 
Lilinoe Paschoal (Paukukalo, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin) set a career-high with 45 assists and was a dig shy of her fifth consecutive double-double. Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua), who had her double-digit digs streak snapped on Friday, scooped up 19 while also dishing out 12 assists against the Falcons.
 
Megan Omlid and Amaya Evans each had 15 kills for Seattle Pacific which fell to 4-3 and 2-1 in the Challenge.
 
After building sizable leads in the first two sets, CUH had two chances to close out the match in a sweep before SPU seized the momentum to force an extra set.
 
The end of the fourth set was frantic. SPU led 23-22 before Krueger and Hinton combined for three kills to help the Silverswords take the match.
 
Chaminade totaled 64 kills, 60 assists, 70 digs, six aces and five total team blocks while the Falcons had 41 kills on 39 assists, 61 digs, four aces and eight blocks.
 
The Silverswords will look to cap a perfect Challenge run with a 6 p.m. match Saturday against Western Oregon at McCabe Gym in the tournament finale. Hawai'i Hilo has the first two matches in the final day, facing Saint Martin's at 10 a.m. then Western Colorado at 3 p.m.