Seasiders sweep 'Swords in PacWest
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Brigham Young-Hawai'i women's volleyball team is still perfect and now it's in control of the Pacific West Conference.
Tuli Peters had 20 kills and eight digs, and the Seasiders had 11 aces in a 30-21, 30-24, 30-22 victory over Chaminade last night at McCabe gym.
The Seasiders, ranked No. 9 in the latest CSTV/AVCA Division II coaches top 25 poll, improved to 14-0 and 10-0.
Chaminade, which had won six in a row, dropped to 12-4 and 7-2.
"I feel good, relieved," BYU-Hawai'i coach Wilfred Navalta said. "But we didn't really play that smooth, but playing a road game it's always tough to adjust to a new environment."
Roseanne Vea and Noelle Filimoeatu each added 12 kills for BYU-Hawai'i, which hit .379 for the match.
"It wasn't only Tuli tonight, others came through," Navalta said. "We had pretty good balance. Roseanne Vea in the middle and Noelle Filimoeatu on the left side. It wasn't just Tuli Peters; Tuli Peters needed help tonight."
The Seasiders used solid ball control to allow setter LeeAnn Mapu to run the offense.
"Our ball-handling kept us in the game — serve-receive, defense — we kept a lot of balls alive," Navalta said. "It gave us opportunities to run our transition."
In the first game, Mapu served eight points in a row as the Seasiders took a 22-12 lead. Mapu had two aces during the run.
"High and deep, that's all my coach tells me," she said.
BYU-Hawai'i dropped the first point of the second game, but responded with a 6-0 run behind the serving of Faylynn Merrick. The Silverswords got as close as three on numerous occasions, with the last at 26-23.
The Seasiders had five aces in each of the first two games.
"They basically served us off the court and we need to become a better passing team now," Chaminade coach Glennie Adams said.
The third game was tied at 18 before the Seasiders seized the momentum with three consecutive back-row kills by Peters.
"She's good in the back court, she can attack and play defense and everything," Navalta said.
Mapu had 53 assists and four aces. Adams said she "served an incredible game."
BYU-Hawai'i has swept 11 matches this season.
"I think our team did well today, but we still have a lot to work on," Mapu said. "We came out ready because we know Chaminade is a good team and a big challenge to us in the PacWest right now."
The Seasiders have relied heavily this season on Peters, a Kahuku High alum and former Fresno State player.
She led the team with 5.91 kills per game entering last night's match.
"For us to come this far is really awesome because I know it's hard for teams to go undefeated," Peters said.
"It's good we're all starting to jell as a team more now that we're getting deeper in the season. That's what's giving us our success."
Brittnee Fonnesbeck had 10 kills and Trina Kauliakamoa added nine for Chaminade, which hit .219 for the match.
The Seasiders swept visiting Chaminade a month ago. They will play again Nov. 3 in La'ie in the regular-season finale for both.
Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.