Vulcans Volleyball Sweeps Weekend in Honolulu, Clinches Postseason Berth

The Hawaii Hilo women’s volleyball team finished their regular season with a decisive flourish in Honolulu, sweeping two critical matches to punch their ticket to the Pacific West Conference Championships.

By taking down Chaminade on Friday and Hawaii Pacific University on Saturday, the Vulcans secured the fourth and final spot in the postseason tournament, effectively ending Westmont’s hopes of advancing.

The path to the Freed Center in Costa Mesa was far from guaranteed entering the weekend. Hawaii Hilo needed to navigate a difficult O’ahu road trip, and they did so with a level of resilience that defined their season-ending push. According to the match notes, the Vulcans opened their trip at McCabe Gymnasium on November 6, where they initially struggled against the Silverswords before finding their rhythm.

Overcoming Early Deficits

Friday’s match against Chaminade proved to be a test of composure. After the Silverswords dominated the opening set—twice scoring seven straight points to build a 19-9 lead—the Vulcans were forced to recalibrate.

The second set remained a nail-biter until the final moments, with Hawaii Hilo scoring the last two points to edge out a 26-24 victory. From there, the momentum shifted entirely in the visitors’ favor, as the team hit .361 in the third set compared to Chaminade’s .088.

The individual performances were instrumental in keeping the postseason dream alive. Alohi Garcia notched her 16th double-double of the year, contributing 13 kills and 12 digs, while ‘Anolani Santos tallied 47 assists and 12 digs. The offensive pressure was shared, with both Chase Koepke and Sajal Glunz recording 14 kills apiece.

Closing the Regular Season at The Shark Tank

Carrying the confidence from their comeback win against Chaminade, the Vulcans traveled to The Shark Tank on November 7 to face Hawaii Pacific University. The team wasted little time, securing a clean three-set sweep. The efficiency of the attack was notable; Hawaii Hilo hit .448 in both the first and second sets, effectively neutralizing HPU’s defensive efforts.

The final set against HPU served as a microcosm of the team’s season-long tenacity. Despite trailing 15-14 midway through the frame, the Vulcans fought through nine ties and five lead changes. It was Koepke who ultimately closed the door on HPU, putting down kills on the final two points to secure the 25-23 set win.

Beyond the immediate victory, the weekend stats highlighted significant career milestones. Logan Blutreich reached her 200th career block, while Koepke moved into eighth place in the program’s career history with 949 kills. Santos also climbed the record books, moving into ninth place for single-season assists with 1,052.

Looking Toward the PacWest Championships

As the No. 4 seed, Hawaii Hilo now turns its attention to the conference tournament hosted by Vanguard University in California. The bracket features a field, including Point Loma, Concordia, and Biola. The Vulcans are scheduled to face Point Loma in a semifinal-round matchup on November 13 at 2:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. PST). PT).

While the team has successfully navigated the regular season, the upcoming semifinals present a different set of challenges. The Vulcans must now prove that their late-season surge can translate to the neutral-site intensity of the Freed Center. Whether this momentum holds against the opposition remains the central question as the team prepares for their departure to Costa Mesa.