HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University played close, but homestanding Hawai'i Hilo took a hard fought 3-1 PacWest Conference victory Sunday evening at the UHH Gym.
 
The Vulcans (12-4, 8-2) defeated the Sharks (5-11, 4-6) 25-22, 25-22, 12-25, 25-17.
 
HPU outhit UH Hilo in the match, with the Sharks collecting a .172 attack percentage with 8.0 team blocks, to the Vulcans .169 attack with 9.0 team blocks. Both teams had six service aces in the match that is also a part of the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
 
HPU sophomore outside hitter Camryn Collie of El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge led the match with 14 kills and double-doubled with 10 digs. Senior middle hitter Carson Pyle of Houston, Texas/Memorial recorded 11 kills with a .500 hitting percentage, four service aces and four blocks. Freshman Nicole Ferris of Woodstock, Ga./Etowah just missed a double-double with 12 kills and nine digs to go with two blocks.
 
UH Hilo was paced by Armani Moultrie with 10 kills, a .625 hitting percentage and a match-best five blocks. Teisa Tuioti chalked up 11 kills, with Ashton Jessee adding nine kills and four blocks.
 
The Sharks opened the match on the attack, as the teams traded the lead in the first set until a tie at 7-7. That's when the Vulcans went on a 4-1 run to build a lead they would wouldn't relinquish. Down 24-19 in the set, HPU got kills from sophomore Abigail Wilmington of Vancouver, Wash./Columbia River, Collie and Pyle to pull within 24-22 and forced a UHH timeout. The Vulcans followed with a Tuioti kill for the 25-22 win.
 
The teams play another tight set in the second with HPU getting to a 16-15 following a Vulcan attack error. However the Vulcans followed that error with an 8-1 run to build a 23-17 lead to take control. HPU went down 24-18 then followed with a 4-0 run with a pair of kills from junior Natalie Gibbs of Acme, Alberta, Canada/Acme and another from senior Mahea Pescaia of Kailua, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama. But it was Tuioti again after a timeout that ended the set 25-22.
 
The Sharks took control of the third set early, picking up a quick 4-0 run to take a lead they wouldn't let go.  The Vulcans pulled within three again at 13-10 before the Sharks went on a 10-0 run keyed by four service aces by Pyle. HPU added a kill from Collie and won the set on a Vulcan attack error for a 25-12 win.
 
HPU and UHH were even at 5-5 and got a Collie kill to trail 7-6 when the Vulcans made their move. UHH went on a 4-1 run, then took control of the match with another 5-1 run and never looked back. A block of a Gibbs attack by Moultrie and Evelin Solyomvari ended the set and match 25-17.
 
The Sharks will be back at James Castle Gym at St. Andrew's Priory for a three-game homestand starting on Wednesday night when Biola visits Honolulu. First serve is set for 7 p.m.