HONOLULU, HI – Hawai'i Pacific bounced back in a big way Friday night at the Shark Tank, sweeping UC Merced in straight sets, 25–23, 25–21, 25–14. The victory pushes the Sharks to 3-5 on the season.

HPU came out sharp in the opening frame, hitting .350 as a team and leaning on the hot hand of Peyton McBride, who finished with a match-high 15 kills on .433 hitting. The Sharks edged past the Bobcats late, 25–23, to grab the early lead. The second set stayed tight through the middle stages, but timely swings from Lindsey Tapp and Ella Schoene helped the Sharks create separation and secure a 25–21 win.

HPU dominated the third set, hitting an impressive .480 as a team while holding UC Merced to just eight kills. Schoene was nearly unstoppable at the net, tallying 10 kills on .563 hitting, while Tapp added 11 kills at a .450 clip. The Sharks closed out the night with a convincing 25–14 finish to complete the sweep.

Alongside the efficient offense, HPU showed balance across the board. McBride, Taylor Kaoihana-Lee, and Lauren Harris each tallied nine digs to lead the defense, while Harris also dished out 17 assists. Jordyn McCutcheon added 14 assists and a pair of aces, and the Sharks outpaced UC Merced at the service line with 10 aces overall. Schoene, Kate Allan, and Mia Ferdinand each posted three blocks as the Sharks' front line controlled the net.

HPU hit .302 as a team compared to UC Merced's .198, while out-killing the Bobcats 45–35 and holding the edge in total points, 61–46.