by POMONA, Calif.—The Hawai`i Hilo volleyball team finished up the D2 West Region Showcase on a sweeping note, taking down host Cal Poly Pomona in straight sets on Saturday night at the Kellogg Arena.
The Vulcans topped the team that was ranked No. 20 in the AVCA national preseason poll, 25-16, 25-22, 25-23.
The Vulcans split their four matches in the tournament and return to Hilo at 5-3 on the season. Earlier today, they nearly upset the No. 3 team in the country, unbeaten Western Washington, taking them to five sets before falling. Cal Poly Pomona is now 2-5.
Head coach Chris Leonard has found a winning method, and even in the loss to WWU, the strategy worked. Balanced attack, tough at the net, good serving and passing were keys for the Vulcans this weekend and likely beyond.
Alexandria Parisian (Chippewa/Cree) led the Vulcans tonight with 11 kills and four service aces, but she had plenty of company in good numbers. Bria Beale had nine kills, three aces and 11 digs, while Amber Tai (8 kills), Emily Wade (6 kills) and Ashton Jessee (6 kills, .353) added to the offense. Kaila Lizama had 22 digs in the three sets.
Jazminn Parrish led the Broncos of the CCAA with 12 kills.
The Vulcans led from start to finish in the first set, blazing out to a 11-2 lead and advancing that margin to 18-6. By the time the 25-16 set was over, the Vulcans had hit .343 and fired in four service aces.
The second set began in a similar pattern with UHH taking a 13-7 lead and they soon would hold a 20-12 lead. But the Broncos came back, all the way to 24-22, before the Vulcans closed things out on a Parisian kill.
In the third set, the Vulcans leapt out to a 4-1 lead, but the Broncos made a valiant effort to keep the match alive. They came back to tie it at 6-6, and would later take a 16-14 lead. UH Hilo then resumed the lead after kills by Jessee and Beale, and an ace by Beale (22-18). They wouldn’t trail after that although CPP cut the margin to 24-23 before Parisian closed out the match with a kill.
UH Hilo had 11 aces in the match, compared to two for the Broncos. They also had 7.5 total blocks.
