HONOLULU — Hawai'i Pacific University senior Pomai Recca tallied 27 kills as she led the Sharks to their fifth straight victory with a 3-2 PacWest Conference win over Azusa Pacific Saturday night in James Castle Gym at St. Andrew's Priory.
 
The Sharks (13-7, 9-2) remained one loss out of first place as they battled back for a come-from-behind 25-21, 22-25, 10-25, 25-23, 15-11 win over the Cougars (9-12, 5-7).
 
"This was a big win," said HPU coach Jenic Tumaneng. "And it was a big game for us. Anybody that comes in our gym needs to know it's a big game for us. That's our team approach. We want to defend our home court and we did tonight."
 
Recca, the 5-9 outside hitter from Waimanalo, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama, recorded the second-highest single match kill total in her career with the 27. She also posted her 14th double-double of the season with 11 digs, and hit .204 for the match. She also added a block and two service aces.
 
"She's a warrior," Tumaneng said. "She's battled through some injuries, but gives it all on the floor. She is our senior. This is her team she wants to put on her back and take some place. I'm proud of how she's taken that leadership."
 
Freshman Perla Escobar, a 5-9 outside hitter from Calexico, Calif./Calexico, tallied nine kills with three blocks. Middle blockers Lea Felton, a 6-2 junior from Sacramento, Calif./St. Francis, and Carson Pyle, a 6-1 sophomore from Houston, Texas/Memorial, each recorded four blocks. Libero Amanda Acosta, a 5-6 freshman from Exeter, Calif./Extra Union chalked up 30 digs, many saving a rally.
 
APU got 13 kills, five blocks and a .364 hitting percentage from Julianne Miller, while Madison Ogas added 10 kills with 11 digs, and Ally Gonzalez chimed in with 10 kills.
 
The Sharks won the opening set 25-21, coming back from a 12-6 deficit to knot the set at 15 and yo-yoing with the Cougars to 20-all. Following a timeout by HPU, the Sharks went on a 4-0 run, then traded points with APU to win the set on a Recca kill.
 
The second set was a disappointing one for the Sharks. After leading 10-8, the Cougars went on a 9-1 run, with a 6-0 run inside of it, to take command. HPU battled back to trail 19-17, but a service error followed by an APU service ace threw it back to the Cougars who claimed the set 25-22.
 
Azusa Pacific dominated the third set for a 2-1 lead by hitting .304 as they Sharks hit negative .231 and had only three kills in a 25-10 set loss.
 
After an early lead, HPU found itself down 11-8 following a 5-0 APU run. The Sharks answered with a 5-1 run and then built up a 24-20 lead only to have Azusa Pacific scratch back to within one at 24-23. However, Recca had the answer with a kill to win the set at 25-23.
 
The deciding set had the teams exchange the lead to a 4-all tie. That's when HPU went on a 4-0 run for an 8-4 advantage at the side exchange that they never let go. Not to say Azusa didn't make a game of it, pulling up to 13-11 after a Miller kill. But the Cougars suffered a service error before setter Sierra Dawson, a 5-10 junior from Marin County, Calif./Redwood, nailed a service ace for the match winner.
 
HPU is currently third in the PacWest standings at 9-2, a half-game behind Concordia (Calif.) at 10-2 and one full-game behind first place California Baptist at 10-1.
 
The Sharks continue their nine-match homestand on Monday night when they welcome Point Loma to Castle Gym. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at St. Andrew's Priory.