Honolulu, HI (September 1, 2012) – Day two of the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts HPU Challenge was kind to the Sea Warriors (3-0). Hawai'i Pacific needed only six sets to win a pair of games, first against Montana State- Billings (25-22, 25-18, 25-16) and then Seattle Pacific (25-16, 25-15, 25-19).  

The first set of the day was the only time HPU was challenged, the Sea Warriors dominated with a high powered offense and a suffocating block. HPU has averaged 3.4 blocks per set over the first three matches this season.

Freshman Samantha Rummans had a breakout match, hitting .588 while she picked up 10 kills; she also was overpowering on defense with 7 block assists. Setter Pihanakealoha Kea (29 assists) got several people involved in the offense against the Yellow Jackets, Sanoe Recca and Amanda Moriarty each had seven kills. Haley Doerfler had six kills and four block assists with a .667 hitting percentage. Elizabeth Culpepper and Chelsey Buyuan helped on defense with six blocks assists for Culpeper and 10 digs for Buyuan.

HPU hit .233 as a team, highlighted by the third set where it hit .320. The Sea Warriors held MSUB to .062.

HPU looked even better in the nightcap against Seattle Pacific. The Sea Warriors controlled the entire way, hitting .277 as opposed to .039 for SPU. Again Rummans led the way with 10 kills; fellow freshman Kasey Thompson had seven. Doerfler had a big all-around game with six kills, four block assists, and three aces.  Buyuan led HPU in digs with 16, Moriarty and Kara Wong each also had double figure dig totals.

Head Coach Daryl Kapis was pleased with his team's play, “It was a total team effort where a lot of people contributed to our success.  Offensively we were hard to stop, but we had to work hard against a very good Seattle Pacific team. Pihana Kea did a wonderful job distributing to our hitters.”

HPU is back in action on Sunday against Fresno Pacific at 1:00 PM at St. Andrew's Priory.