LOS ANGELES – Hawai'i Pacific University won it's opening match of the day, but lost a heartbreaker in the nightcap at the D2 West Region Showcase at Cal State Los Angeles' University Gym on Friday.
 
The Sharks (4-2) defeated Cal State East Bay (1-6) 29-27, 25-14, 18-25, 25-12 to start the day. HPU then fell to Alaska Fairbanks (3-4) in a tough five-setter 19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 11-15.
 
Against the East Bay Pioneers, the Sharks hit .275 as a team behind the strong performance of junior Cameryn Collie of El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge and senior Perla Escobar of Calexico, Calif./Calexico.
 
Both recorded double-doubles, with Collie posting 15 kills and a .308 hitting percentage while picking up 11 digs. Escobar hit .219 with 12 kills and 13 digs. Both players tallied a service ace as well.
 
The Sharks were strong at the net with 9.0 team blocks led by sophomores Kirah Boynton-Brown of Vancouver, Wash./Union and Nicole Ferris of Woodstock, Ga./Etowah who tallied three blocks apiece.
 
The Pioneers were led by Tiana Weeks and Kara Green, each with 12 kills. Steena Hubbard recorded five blocks for CSUEB.
 
In the nightcap, the Sharks hit just .155, compared to the Nanooks .171, but it was Alaska that posted 11.0 team blocks with HPU netting 8.0.
 
Once again Escobar and Collie paced the way with double-doubles. Escobar chalked up 14 kills with 11 digs, while Collie put up 12 kills with 17 digs. The hitting performance of the contest for the Sharks was Ferris, who racked up 11 kills with just one error with a .294 attack and notched three blocks. Junior Abigail Wilmington of Vancouver, Wash./Columbia River posted four blocks.
 
The Nanooks got 17 kills and 17 digs from Lahra Weber, while AveRee Reynolds chalked up 14 kills with six blocks in the five sets.
 
The Sharks are back in action on Saturday in the Showcase, facing Central Washington at 9 a.m. HST (Noon PDT) before facing host Cal State LA at 2 p.m. HST (5 p.m. PDT) at University Gym.