Posted with permission, article and pictures, courtesy of Chaminade University
HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women’s volleyball team suffered an agonizing loss to started the Magic Island Hawai’i Classic presented by Ala Moana Hotel by Mantra Friday. But the Silverswords rebounded in the nightcap to salvage a split at the Hawai’i Convention Center.
In a matchup of AVCA Top-25 squads, No. 25 Chaminade had Cal State San Bernardino on the ropes in the matinee matchup but squandered a two-set lead as the No. 7-ranked team in the nation rallied to win in five, 23-25, 16-25, 25-23, 25-14, 15-11.
However the ‘Swords got back on the winning track in their second match with a 25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 26-24 win over Stanislaus State.
Chaminade (2-3, 1-1 Magic Island Classic) got a combined 26 kills on the day from Brooklen Pe’a (Woods Cross, Utah/Youngstown State/Bountiful HS) while Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) added 20.
CSUSB 3, CUH 2
After swiping the first set from the perennial West Region power, the Silverswords used a pair of 4-0 runs to overwhelm the Coyotes, taking a 2-0 lead and the team smelling upset.
But Cal State San Bernardino survived a late third-set rally as the ‘Swords rallied from 23-19 down to close to within a point at 23-22 before scoring two of the set’s final three points.
In the pivotal fourth set, CSUSB forced Chaminade to hit -.023 (8 kills, 9 errors) in frame to set up a decisive fifth where the Coyotes put down 11 kills to just two errors. They also limited the Silverswords to hitting just .200 (7 kills, 2 errors) in the final set to complete the comeback.
Lataisia Saulala (Morgan Hill, Calif./Oakwood) led the ‘Swords with 14 kills and hit .324 in the match while Pe’a added 11 and Corti 10. Sophie Schilling (Berlin, Germany/Univ. of Alaska/Schul- and Leistungssportszentrum Berlin HS) had six total blocks, four assisted.
Alexia Byrnes (Chicago/Youngstown State/St. Francis HS) recorded 32 assists and 13 digs while Nanna Inoue got her first match start at libero and made 25 digs.
Despite hitting just .124 in the match, the Silverswords held the Coyotes to a .191 attack percentage. Jenna Patton led CSUSB with 13 kills.
CUH 3, Stan State 1
With Chaminade hanging on to an 18-17 Set 1 lead, Corti put down two kills while forcing a pair of hitting errors as a 7-1 run helped them win the opening set.
However, Stanislaus State opened up a 19-12 lead to help them tie the match at a set each. In the third set, Pe’a caught fire, putting down six kills in the frame including three straight to help the ‘Swords build a 16-11 advantage. The Warriors rallied and tied it at 21 but Pe’a put down two kills while Stan State had two service errors to help Chaminade win the third set.
In what proved to be the final set, the Silverswords built a 23-18 lead but the Warriors ran off six straight and had set point but Byrnes launched a dump shot followed by an Inoue ace to set up aloha ball. Chaminade then got Macky Morris to hit wide, allowing them to survive and pick up their second win of the season.
Pe’a put down 15 kills in the match while Corti added 10 more. Byrnes got her fourth double-double in five matches this season with 33 assists and 10 digs while Inoue had a team-high 16 digs on the night.
Stan State actually out-killed the ‘Swords, 51-49, and amassed 14 total team blocks to Chaminade’s five. However the ‘Swords had 10 aces, three each from Sasha Colombo (Milan, Italy/Colorado State/Liceo Scientifico Giordano Bruno HS) and Kendall Rios (Tustin, Calif./Foothill).
Morris led the Warriors with 14 kills.
The Silverswords wrap up the Magic Island Hawai’i Classic presented by Ala Moana Hotel by Mantra Saturday against No. 21 Lewis at 11:30 a.m. and San Francisco State at 7 p.m. The tournament resumes at 9 a.m. with Hawai’i Hilo facing SFSU.
