A team like Hawai'i Pacific doesn't get on the ropes very often, so when an opponent gets HPU there it had better make sure it takes advantage.

Chaminade found that out last night when it let a late seven-point lead slip away in Game 1, then fell apart the rest of the way.

Barbara Martin had 22 kills and Paula Koikopoulos 15 as No. 2 Hawai'i Pacific beat Chaminade, 32-30, 30-20, 30-20, in a Pacific West Conference match at Blaisdell Arena.

HPU won its 12th in a row and improved to 21-1 overall and 9-0 in the conference. Chaminade dropped to 9-13 and 0-9.

In Game 1, the Silverswords took a 26-19 lead, but blew the advantage with four hitting errors and one ball handling error.

HPU took it to overtime when Silverswords middle blocker Lila Sapolu hit wide left to make it 29-all. A block by Sapolu gave Chaminade another game point, but HPU scored the final three points on a kill by Koikopoulos, ace by Antje Buskies and kill by Flavia Brakling.

"We fell behind, but we just played it one point at a time," HPU coach Tita Ahuna said. "We went and we pressed on one point at a time and we eventually got to 29-29 and we pulled through."

Game 2 was tied 16-16 before the Sea Warriors shifted into overdrive. Martin put the game out of reach by pounding six consecutive points to make it 28-19.

Martin, a junior middle blocker, dominated Game 3 with nine kills, mostly on step-out moves.

"If you get that set high enough ... unstoppable," Ahuna said. "Barbara is tough to beat and she shows up every day."

HPU setter Vera Oliveira had 50 assists as the Sea Warriors hit .377 for the match.

"I have a lot of confidence in Barbara, she is a great player and a great person," Oliveira said.

Martin said: "Vera helped me out, putting up perfect balls."

Martin had three errors in 36 attempts and hit .528, while Koikopoulos had two errors in 24 attempts and hit .542.

"I feel so good because we won this game," Martin said. "In the beginning I was playing so bad."

Chaminade coach Glennie Adams acknowledged the first-game loss "took a lot" out of her team.

While the Sea Warriors pulled out the first game, Ahuna is concerned about her team's recent slow starts.

Last week, the Sea Warriors dropped the first two games against host Hawai'i-Hilo before rallying for a victory. It was HPU's second five-game match this season, with the other being its only loss — to Cal State San Bernardino on Sept. 3.

The Sea Warriors have swept 16 matches this season.

"I thought after our Hilo match when we were down 2-0 on Friday night, we learned our lesson on how to prepare," Ahuna said. "We came out of the gates really slow and lethargic. We have to re-look at our preparation and things we need to focus on."

Trina Kauliakamoa had 14 kills to lead Chaminade, which hit .158.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.