Box Score SAN DIEGO, CA (November 12, 2013) – The Hawai'i Pacific Volleyball Team (17-10, 11-8) lost its final mainland game of the season on Tuesday night as Point Loma Nazarene (22-7, 15-4) defeated HPU in four sets (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23).

The Sea Warriors stumbled of the gate in the opening set. After kills from Pomai Recca and Kasey Thompson gave HPU a 2-1 lead, Point Loma responded with an 8-0 run to take a commanding 9-2 lead. The two sides played essentially even the rest of the set, but the damage had been done.   

HPU bounced back with a strong performance in the second set, and really for the rest of the night, against arguably the second best team in the PacWest Conference. The Sea Warriors trailed early but tied the set at six on a Samantha Rummans kill. PLNU retook a 14-10 lead; and after three consecutive HPU points, Chelsey Buyuan dropped an ace that retied the set at 14. The onslaught continued as the Sea Warriors also took the next six points to lead 20-14. The Sea Lions rebounded only to see Elizabeth Culpepper end the set at 25-23 with a kill.

The third set was different from the first two in that there were no big runs from either side. The teams exchanged points until the score was knotted at 18. It was PLNU that then found a mini-run to seize a 22-19 lead. Two home errors and a kill by Thompson gave HPU new life at 23-22, but the next two points and the set went the way of the Sea Lions.

In the fourth set, HPU got into a hole early, trailing 11-6. HPU keep grinding away and cut the deficit to two at 14-12 on a kill by freshman Reilly Sprestersbach. However, PLNU would push the lead back to 16-12. When Sam Rummans' ace cut the lead to 18-16, PLNU reestablished a 20-17 lead. Eventually, the determination would pay off as HPU tied the set at 23. Alas, an HPU service error and kill by the Sea Lions ended the match.

Haley Doerfler continued her torrid hitting pace with eight kills on a .615 hitting percentage. Rummans added 12 kills and 14 digs to earn a double-double. Recca pitched in 11 kills.

Amanda Moriarty and Buyuan tied for the team lead with 18 digs each. Marie Fujii rounded out the team leaders with 23 assists.

HPU returns to Oahu to face BYU-Hawaii on November 21st in Laie at 7:30 p.m. for the final match of the season.