LA MIRADA – Ella Schoene led the Hawai'i Pacific University women's volleyball team Sunday evening as the Sharks closed their Southern California road trip against Biola at Chase Gymnasium.
HPU (1-10, 0-5 PacWest) dropped the conference matchup in three sets, 25-15, 25-13, 25-18. The Sharks finished with 21 kills, four service aces and six total blocks.
Schoene paced the HPU attack with seven kills on 16 attempts, hitting .188, and added a match-high five block assists for 9.5 points. Sophia Cooper contributed four kills and four block assists, while Alayna Grinstead and Ella Snobar added three and four kills, respectively.
The Sharks stayed with Biola through the early portion of the opening set. HPU used a Lauren Harris service ace and kills from Mia Ferdinand and Cooper to take an 8-6 advantage. The teams were tied at 9-9 before Biola created separation on its way to a 25-15 opening-set win.
HPU again remained close early in the second, taking leads of 4-3, 5-4 and 6-5 before the Eagles pulled away. Grinstead recorded three kills in the frame, while Schoene added two as Biola took the set 25-13.
Hawai'i Pacific put together its strongest late push in the third. Trailing 19-11, the Sharks went on a 5-0 run highlighted by two Schoene kills, a Kaoihana service ace and a block from Schoene and Cooper to cut the deficit to 19-16. HPU ultimately reached 18 before Biola closed the match, 25-18.
Taylor Kaoihana led the back row with a match-high 14 digs while adding three assists and an ace. Jordyn McCutcheon finished with 13 assists and seven digs, and Harris added four assists, three digs and a match-high three service aces.
The match concluded HPU's Southern California road swing.
