IRVINE, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific got a strong start to its trip to Hawai`i last week, snapping Chaminade’s double-digit winning streak and then Hawai`i Pacific’s double-digit winning streak as the Cougars improved to 10-1 in conference play this season.
Chaminade bounced back from its first conference loss of the season with a 3-1 win over Point Loma to remain in first place in the conference standings with a 13-1 record.
Emma Tecklenburg had a match-high 21 kills for the Silverswords.
Hawai`i Hilo also defeated Point Loma to extend its winning streak to 11 matches in a row, which is now the longest active winning streak in the conference. Azusa Pacific and Hawai`i Hilo will play each other on the Big Island on Monday afternoon. Hawai`i Pacific defeated Point Loma earlier in the week and is now 11-3 in the PacWest, putting only two matches between the top four teams in the conference.
Academy of Art has now won three matches in a row following Saturday’s sweep of Fresno Pacific.
Jillian Wheaton had 14 kills and one error on 20 attacks in the victory and added two blocks.
This week, Hawai`i Hilo will go to Oahu for a pair of important matches against Hawai`i Pacific and Chaminade following Monday’s match against Azusa Pacific. If the Vulcans win all three matches, they will move into first place in the conference standings. Azusa Pacific is on the edge of cracking the AVCA Top 25.
Weekly awards for the week of Oct. 21-27
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Julianne Miller, Azusa Pacific
MB, Sr., 6-1 -- Rocklin, Calif.
Miller led Azusa Pacific to three wins last week, including a pair of three-set wins against Chaminade and Hawai`i Pacific, snapping two of the three longest winning streaks in the PacWest this season. In the three straight-set wins, Miller had 29 kills with only one error for a .560 hitting percentage for the week. Miller added 12 blocks on the week. Her best performance came against Chaminade, when she had 12 kills on 16 attacks with seven blocks to make the Cougars the first PacWest team to defeat Chaminade this season. She also had nine kills on 13 attacks against Holy Names.
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Sami Hover, Biola
L, Jr., 5-5 -- Glendale, Ariz.
Hover recorded 48 digs in seven sets last week as she led Biola to a pair of road victories to improve to 9-4 in the PacWest this season. Against Notre Dame de Namur, Hover recorded 20 digs in three sets and had just one receiving error and seven assists. Against Dominican, the junior tallied 28 digs and no receiving errors with four assists, two aces and her first kill and first block of the season. She now has 401 digs this season, becoming the new conference leader in total digs.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Mackenzie Jensen, Concordia
MB, Fr., 6-3 -- Monrovia, Calif.
Jensen recorded 10 kills in both of Concordia’s road victories last week. The Eagles improved to 6-7 in conference play following the two four-set victories. Against Notre Dame de Namur, Jensen had a .571 attack percentage with 10 kills, two errors and 14 attacks. She also had a total of five blocks on the week. Her attack percentage for the season is now at .391, which leads the PacWest.