SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – The Hawaii Pacific University women's volleyball team picked up a pair of PacWest Conference victories during its Northern California road trip, defeating Jessup and Dominican in four sets before closing the three-match stretch against Westmont.
The Sharks opened the trip with a 3-1 victory over Jessup on Tuesday, October 20, followed by another 3-1 win over Dominican on Wednesday. HPU's momentum was halted Friday against Westmont, but the Sharks finished the stretch with two conference victories.
Sharks Take Down Jessup, 3-1
HPU opened its road trip with a strong offensive and defensive performance against Jessup, earning a 25-18, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18 victory in Rocklin, California.
Ella Schoene delivered a standout performance at the net, recording 10 kills on a .471 hitting percentage while adding eight solo blocks and four block assists. The Sharks combined for 15 team blocks and held Jessup to a .014 hitting percentage.
Sophia Cooper led HPU with 11 kills and added 12 digs for a double-double. Mia Ferdinand contributed nine kills on a .368 hitting percentage, while Alohalani Chun and Chayse Hoon each finished with eight kills.
Jordyn McCutcheon directed the offense with 34 assists, while Taylor Kaoihana added 12 digs.
After splitting the opening two sets, the Sharks responded by taking the third set, 25-22, before closing the match with a convincing 25-18 fourth-set victory.
Sharks Rally Past Dominican for Second Straight Victory
The following evening, HPU continued its winning ways with a 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-22 victory over Dominican in San Rafael.
After dropping a tightly contested opening set, the Sharks responded by winning three consecutive sets to secure their second PacWest victory in as many nights.
Schoene once again led the offensive effort, finishing with a match-high 15 kills while hitting .419. She also contributed five blocks.
Cooper made her presence felt from the service line, delivering five aces without a service error while adding eight kills and nine digs.
Chun contributed nine kills, 16 digs and four block assists, while Ferdinand added seven kills and six blocks. McCutcheon recorded a double-double with 34 assists and 16 digs.
The Sharks finished with 11 team blocks, 89 digs and six service aces. HPU's offense improved throughout the match, culminating in 16 kills and a .250 hitting percentage in the fourth set to seal the victory.
Westmont Halts Sharks' Winning Streak
HPU concluded its three-match stretch on Friday, October 23, falling to Westmont in straight sets, 25-10, 25-18, 25-20.
Despite a challenging opening set, the Sharks continued to battle, improving their point total in each successive frame.
Hoon led the offensive effort with 10 kills, while Cooper contributed six kills and a team-high 15 digs.
The Sharks showed improvement as the match progressed, producing their most competitive set in the third frame before Westmont secured the victory.
Road Trip Takeaways
The three-match stretch featured several notable performances, particularly from Schoene, who combined for 25 kills and 17 total blocks across the victories over Jessup and Dominican.
Cooper provided a consistent presence on both sides of the ball, while McCutcheon totaled 68 assists across the two wins.
