Even though Gonzaga finished 0-3 at the Sparky Classic in Tempe, Ariz., over the weekend, Bulldogs senior Tiyana Hallums was still impressive enough to earn all-tournament honors.
The 5-foot-10 senior averaged 6.90 digs over three matches for Gonzaga (3-8), which had won the Les Schwab West Coast Challenge a week earlier by beating California, Fresno State and Portland State.
The 2015 Kamehameha alumna moved into fourth place on the school’s all-time digs list in Saturday’s loss to Northern Arizona. She is at 1,119 career digs entering West Coast Conference play on Thursday against Loyola Marymount.
Her 204 digs for the season ranks 76th in all of Division I and her 4.98 digs per set average is even better at 39th in the country.
AROUND THE NATION
>> Kai’ulani Ahuna, Kamehameha-Hawaii ’15: The UC Riverside senior outside hitter ranked 12th in the nation in Division I in kills with 210 and fourth in kills per set, averaging 5.25 for the Highlanders entering Tuesday night’s Big West opener against Long Beach State. Ahuna, whose 14.33 attacks per set leads the nation, had a team-high 19 digs and 14 kills in a four-set loss to San Francisco on Saturday.
>> Ally Wada, Hawaii Baptist ’18: The USF freshman, who had 21 assists, six digs and an ace in the win over UC Riverside, is one of four Dons to play all 44 sets this season. Wada is second on the team in both assists per set (4.25) and service aces (12).
>> Ana Oglivie, ‘Iolani ’17: The Army sophomore was named to the all-tournament team of the Gators Invitational on Saturday. Oglivie had a team-high 15 digs and two assists in a sweep of Florida International and added a match-high 14 digs and seven assists in a four-set win over Jacksonville on Friday. She added seven digs and three assists in a four-set loss to No. 11 Florida, marking just the third time in school history Army has won a set against an SEC opponent.
>> Nikki Lum,Punahou ’16: The Army junior setter finished with 49 assists and 16 digs in three matches in the Gators Invitational.
>> Kamalani Akeo, Kamehameha ’15: The Pittsburgh senior setter had 27 assists and six digs in a four-set win over College of Charleston on Friday and added a match-high 32 assists and 10 digs in a four-set victory over High Point on Saturday. The Panthers are 11-0 and ranked No. 9 heading into their ACC opener against Virginia today. Akeo has 3,485 career assists and needs 37 more to move into fourth place on the school’s all-time list.
>> Phoebe Grace,Kahuku ’17: The Utah redshirt freshman middle blocker had six kills and two block assists in a four-set victory over Utah Valley on Friday to close the nonconference season 8-3. Grace ranks 43rd in Division I with a .385 hitting percentage and is 64th in blocks per set, averaging 1.23. Her 53 total blocks ranks 57th.
>> Bailey Choy, ‘Iolani ’16: The Utah junior setter finished with a match-high 38 assists, six digs, three kills and two aces in the win over Utah Valley. Choy ranks 86th in the country, averaging 9.88 assists per set.
>> Kayla Afoa, Kamehameha ’17: The Nevada sophomore outside hitter posted 19 kills, 10 digs, two block assists and two aces in a five-set loss to Saint Mary’s on Thursday. Afoa leads the Wolf Pack with 149 kills and is averaging 3.63 kills per set.
>> Anna Uhr, ‘Iolani ’15: The 5-foot-8 Harvard senior served a career-high six aces and added a team-high eight digs and three assists in a four-set victory over UMass Lowell on Saturday to win the New England Challenge for the second straight year. Uhr had a combined 28 digs, five assists and two aces in previous matches against Boston College and Northeastern in the tournament.
>> Siani Yamaguchi, Kalaheo ’16: The Winthrop junior setter finished with a team-high 47 assists, 16 digs, five kills and three block assists in a four-set win over Furman on Friday to move to 4-8 for the season entering Big South play. Yamaguchi ranks in the top 100 (98th) in Division I with 401 total assists.
>> Mia Heirakuji, Kamehameha ’15: The Temple senior, who ranks 119th in the nation with 189 digs, had a match-high 22 in a four-set win over New Hampshire and a match-high 32 digs and five assists in a four-set victory over Princeton on Saturday to finish 2-1 in the Cherry and White Challenge.
>> Averi Salvador, Punahou ’17: The Temple sophomore combined for 33 digs in three matches in the Cherry and White Challenge.
>> Nicole Hada, Punahou ’17: The Johns Hopkins sophomore combined for 69 assists, 11 digs, five aces and three kills in sweeps of Bryn Mawr and Ursinus College on Saturday.
>> Kaylen Higa, Punahou ’15: The Azusa Pacific (Calif.) senior setter finished with 21 assists and an ace in a sweep of Point Loma (Calif.) on Friday and tallied a team-high 19 assists and 10 digs with an ace in a sweep of Hawaii Hilo on Monday. The Cougars are the lone remaining undefeated team in PacWest play at 5-0.
