HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University fought through three tough sets but it wasn't enough as Chaminade opened the 2019 PacWest Volleyball season with a straight sets win on Thursday night at McCabe Gymnasium.
 
The Swords (7-2, 1-0) swept the Sharks (4-5, 0-1) 25-22, 25-22, 25-19 to win the first PacWest contest of the season.
 
The Sharks hit .292 in the match with 6.0 team blocks, while the Swords hit .301 with 4.0 team blocks.
 
HPU was paced by senior Perla Escobar of Calexico, Calif./Calexico who tallied 15 kills and hit .462 with three blocks and five digs. Junior Cameryn Collie of El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge added 10 kills.
 
Sophomore Kirah Boynton-Brown of Vancouver, Wash./Union also recorded three blocks to lead the Sharks.
 
The Silverswords were paced by Emma Tecklenburg with 10 kills and a .421 hitting percentage. Rachel Reedy hit .429 with eight kills and two blocks, while Lataisia Saulala also added eight kills with a .389 hitting percentage and led both teams with four blocks.
 
The Sharks played close in the first and second sets, holding brief leads in both. But late rallies by the Swords led to 25-22 scores.
 
In the final set, HPU never held a lead as the Sword jumped out to an early lead and never let up.
 
The Sharks return to action on Sunday afternoon on the Big Island as they visit Hawai'i Hilo for a 3 p.m. PacWest Conference match at UH Hilo Gymnasium.