LA MIRADA, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University opened its Southern California road swing with a 3-1 loss to Biola in PacWest Conference play at Chase Gymnasium.
 
The Sharks (4-16, 3-9) fell to the Eagles (13-7, 9-3) 10-25, 26-24, 17-25, 14-25.
 
HPU as a team hit .115 with 2.0 team blocks, while the Eagles posted a .352 attack percentage with 13.0 team blocks.


Senior Lauren Christie of Lebanon, Ore./Lebanon, led the Sharks with 11 kills. Sophomore Ella Dotson of Tucson, Ariz./Marana just missed a double-double, posting 10 kills with nine digs. Junior Demi Winters of Gresham, Ore./Barlow tallied both of the Sharks blocks with solos.
 
Madison Beebe led Biola with 14 kills and a .419 attack percentage. Abigail Copeland tallied nine kills with five blocks, and Dani Bryant added eight kills with five blocks. Abby Brewster also was in on five blocks.
 
Biola never trailed in the first and third sets, winning 25-10 and 25-17, and the Sharks never trailed in the second set – though tied six times – in winning it 26-24.
 
In the final frame, HPU and Biola exchanged the lead three times before the Eagles overtook the Sharks to build a lead throughout the latter part of the set. The Eagles took the win on a double-block from Bryant and Brewster for the 25-14 win and the match.
 
The Sharks visit Concordia Irvine on Friday. First serve at CU Arena is set for 4 p.m. HST (7 p.m. PDT). HPU concludes the Southern California trip on Saturday with a match at Point Loma.