(SAN DIEGO) PLNU Volleyball swept Hawai'i Hilo on Dig Pink Night (25-16, 25-22, 25-20) to remain unbeaten in PacWest play ahead of Saturday's showdown against second-placed Chaminade.
"The girls always have great energy and the crowd was awesome," Head Coach
Jonathan Scott said. "It's always a battle when we play Hilo and I'm proud of these girls for finishing it in three."
It took five sets for the Sea Lions to take down the Vulcans on Sep. 23 but Point Loma only needed the minimum number of sets on Friday in Golden Gym, with the team wearing its pink uniforms in support of breast cancer awareness.
With PLNU leading 17-14 in the first set,
Torina Hommes and
Abigail Nua each recorded a block and a kill during a 5-0 Sea Lions run before Hommes ended the opening stanza with an ace.
Then with a 10-7 advantage in set two, back-to-back kills from
Anna Massari and a service ace from
Sophia Baugh capped off a 6-0 PLNU streak. The visitors then made it interesting, saving four set points to get to within two, only for Massari to give Point Loma a two-sets-to-none lead.
With the third set then tied at 12 apiece, the Sea Lions scored five of the next six points following a PLNU timeout to retake the lead.
That set the stage for a clever dump from Baugh to clinch the match and keep Point Loma (16-4 overall, 13-0 PacWest) undefeated in conference play.
Hommes (11 kills) and Nua (10 kills, 10 digs) led the offense that was orchestrated by Baugh (16 assists) and Phillips (16 assists).
Macy Reynolds recorded 14 digs, while Massari (seven kills) and
Claire Smith (six kills) each tallied three blocks apiece.
PLNU now has a quick turnaround before hosting No. 15 Chaminade on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Sea Lions handed the previously unbeaten Silverswords, ranked No. 12 in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches Poll at the time, their first loss of the season on Sep. 21 in four sets.
