Posted with permission, article and pictures, courtesy of Chaminade University
HILO, Hawai’i – Returning to the scene where they achieved their biggest win of 2021, the Chaminade University women’s volleyball team rolled to a 25-10, 25-20, 25-11 victory Sunday over the University of Hawai’i Hilo at UH Hilo Gymnasium.
In a balanced attack, four Silverswords had six or more kills for a convincing win in the same building nearly10 months after securing the 2021 Pacific West Conference title which wsa their first in 25 years.
Greta Corti (Varese, Italy/Univ. of San Francisco/Alessandro Manzoni Liceo HS) had a match-high nine kills along with 11 digs to help the Silverswords win their fourth straight and move above .500 for the first time this season at 7-6 overall and 2-0 in the PacWest.
Lataisia Saulala (Morgan Hil, Calif./Oakwood) added eight kills and four blocks while hitting .667 on the afternoon. Brooklen Pe’a (Woods Cross, Utah/Youngstown State/Bountiful HS) put down seven kills. Sasha Colombo (Milan, Italy/Colorado State/Liceo Scientifico Giordano Bruno HS) adding six more kills and hit .462. She nor Saulala committed an attack error on Sunday.
The Silverswords hit a blistering .407 in the match (39 kills, 6 errors, 81 attempts), its highest attack percentage since hitting .442 in the 2019 season finale against Holy Names. It is also the sixth-best percentage in school history.
Chaminade delivered 10 service aces, three each from Corti and Alecza Abary (Fontana, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga).
Much like they did in Thursday’s sweep of Hawai’i Pacific University on Thursday, the Silverswords opened the match on a service ace from Alexia Byrnes (Chicago/Youngstown State/Saint Francis HS). It was one of two she dealt while Corti put down three kills to power the ‘Swords to an 8-0 start to the match. Ending the set on an 8-1 surge, Chaminade hit .375 in the opener and held the Vulcans to a minus-.097 percentage (5 kills, 8 errors, 31 attacks).
Behind a vocal home crowd, the Vulcans were more competitive, trailing just 22-20 in the late stages of the second set. But Chaminade scored the final three points with Colombo accounting for two with a kill and a block at set point.
UH Hilo took its first lead of the match early in the third set at 2-1 and, at 3-1, owned its largest margin of the match. However, the ‘Swords would match points, retook the lead at 7-6 then began pulling away, thanks to a 7-1 run to put them up 12-7. A 9-1 surge later increased the margin then Abary delivered consecutive aces to end the match.
Byrnes had 32 assists, three kills, nine digs, two aces and a block. Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai’i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS) had 11 digs to match Corti’s total.
UH Hilo (1-7 overall, 1-1 PacWest) was held to a .021 hitting percentage and was out-dug, 51-36. Nikki Logan had seven kills to lead the Vulcans.
The wins over their two island rivals puts Chaminade in the early lead in the volleyball race for the PacWest Hawai’i Challenge which was won by UH Hilo last year. The ‘Swords have four points while the Vulcans have two after they defeated HPU on Saturday.
The Silverswords are back in the friendly confines of McCabe Gymnasium for the first time in 20 days on Friday when they face Academy of Art in a PacWest contest. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
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