The visiting University of Hawaii Hilo women’s volleyball team came out on top in a battle of top contenders in the Pacific West Conference. The Vulcans outfought the Chaminade Silverswords 25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23 on Saturday at McCabe Gym.

Bria Beale led the Vulcans (4-1, 1-0 PacWest) with 17 kills and posted 17 digs. Alexandria Parisian wasn’t far behind with 11 kills, 12 digs, and four service aces. Tani Hoke led UHH with 20 digs, and Kendall Kott picked up 39 assists.

Annah Rivera led Chaminade (11-3, 1-1) with 14 kills and the Silverswords saw their five-match win streak end. The Silverswords were without the services of kills leader Brooklyn Pe’a.

Back-to-back 25-21 sets went to Hilo to open the match. After trading blows early, the Silverswords pulled away late in the third set. The Vulcans fought back to within two points, but Chaminade rattled off four of the next five points to claim the win.

Chaminade couldn’t survive a second must-win situation, falling in the fourth set as UH-Hilo walked away with the match victory.

The Vulcans and the Silverswords will meet again on Nov. 19 in Hilo.

Sharks come out on top in defensive battle

The Hawaii Pacific men’s soccer team turned a goal in the second half into a win against Hawaii Hilo Saturday afternoon at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

The Sharks (2-2) outshot the Vulcans (1-1) 12-11.

HPU’s Makana Sirvongsana was the lone scorer, finding the back of the net in the 53rd minute. The goal turned out to be the winner, as Sharks keeper Jeremy Zielinski kept up his end of the bargain with four saves in his second consecituve shutout performance. UHH keeper Michael Harre made a pair of saves, while allowing the lone score.

HPU runner finishes 10th at UC Riverside

Hawaii Pacific University’s Jona Bodirsky had a career day at the 40th annual UC Riverside Cross Country Invitational Saturday morning on the UCR Ag/Ops Course. The junior from Germany led the HPU cross country men’s team, finishing 10th overall.

Bodirsky ran the 8-kilometer course in 24 minutes, 13.6 seconds. Behind Bodirsky, Sharks runners David Rutto, Troy Oshimo, Logan Thomas, and Ian Beals finished 174th, 179th, 187th, and 188th respectively. HPU finished 23rd out of 24 teams.

The University of Hawaii placed 15th in the women’s race led by junior Sophia Morgan, who finished 45th. Morgan’s time of 21:44.2 on the 6-kilometer course was the eighth fastest at that distance in program history. Olivia Hill was UH’s next fastest finisher, coming in 56th at 21:53.4.

The Rainbow Wahine finished 15th in the team standings. The HPU women finished 22nd.

The Sharks were led by Robyn Kaltenbrunn, who finished 116th individually with a time of 23.06.3. Behind Kaltenbrunn were Emma Dominguez, Maggie Meeds, Alyssa D’Arpa. Jacquelyn McEvoy, and McKay Guckenberg at 157th, 159th. 162nd, 167th, and 169th respectively.

Hawaii Pacific will run again next Saturday at the Master’s Challenge hosted by The Master’s University at Central Park in Santa Clarita, Calif. The Sharks will then host the HPU Sharks Invitational on Oct. 2 on the North Shore at the Kahuku Golf Course.