University of Hawai‘i at Hilo women’s volleyball falls to Point Loma in PacWest semifinals

University of Hawai‘i at Hilo women’s volleyball fell to Point Loma Nazarene University in four sets (25-21, 23-25, 23-25, 23-25) Thursday during the semifinal round of the Pacific West Conference Championship tournament hosted by Chaminade University on O‘ahu.

Chase Koepke led the Vulcans with 17 kills (.441). Malu Garcia followed with 15 kills and four blocks. Isabella Freeman totaled 14 kills (.375) and seven blocks.

The biggest difference in the box score was at the service line, with University of Hawai‘i at Hilo putting down zero aces against seven by the Sea Lions. The Vulcans also committed three more service errors than Point Loma at a 9-6 margin.

Saren Rogers led the Sea Lions with a match-high 22 kills, while Jill Leslie totaled 12 (.455) and delivered the finishing blows in each of their three set wins.

Point Loma advanced to Friday’s championship match to take on Fresno Pacific, which defeated Chaminade in the nightcap of the semifinals round Thursday (Nov. 20).

Fresno Pacific defeated the Sea Lions by just 1 set in the championship match, claiming the PacWest Conference crown with a 3-2 set victory.

This was the first Pacific West Conference postseason tournament since 2000.

Previous incarnations of the tournament — in 1998, 1999 and 2000 — did not have an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. This year, tournament champion Fresno Pacific will be the PacWest’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA postseason.

University of Hawai‘i at Hilo ended its regular season with a 20-9 overall record and 9-3 Pacific West Conference record.

UP NEXT: NCAA Selection Show at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 24 at the NCAA website.

VULCANS GAME NOTES

• Emerson Reinke totaled 48 assists to bring her season total to 1,115 — ranking No. 6 in the program’s single-season record books.
• Reinke potentially ends her career also as the Vulcans all-time assists leader, with 3,439
• Freeman’s season total of 144 blocks ranks No. 4 in the program’s single-season record books.

BEST AMONG THE WEST

University of Hawai‘i at Hilo came in at No. 9 in the latest official NCAA West Region Rankings. PacWest, Great Northeast Athletic Conference and California Collegiate Athletic Association champions receive automatic bids for the West Regional Round with five more teams selected from the final region rankings.