HONOLULU.—In a match that had numerous lead changes and momentum runs by both teams, No. 1 seed Point Loma outlasted No. 4 Hawaii Hilo 3-1 to advance to Friday’s Pacific West Conference Championship finals.

The Sea Lions held on for a 21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23 victory over the Vulcans in a match that took two hours and 23 minutes. There were a total of 29 ties and eight lead changes in the semifinal match played at McCabe Gymnasium on the campus of Chaminade University.

“It was a hard, physical match,” said Point Loma coach Jonathan Scott. “Hilo is a very good team and we knew it would be like this.”

What Scott didn’t know for sure was whether or not he would have the services of his PacWest Player of the Year, Abigail Nua. The four-time All-American, who had missed the last six matches with an injury, warmed up but wasn’t able to go and missed her seventh.

“She has been the heartbeat of our program for four years,” Scott said. “We want it so badly for her and a lot of players stepped up to keep us going.”

What that meant was a lot of fight and grit on both sides. The Vulcans won the first set 25-21 after hitting .333, but there were numerous comebacks by both teams and the lead changes mentioned above. There were 12 ties in the second set when Point Loma rallied back for the 25-23 win.

That would be the score in the final three sets and with each, one team would forge ahead only to see the other battle back.

“I am really proud of how we played,” said first-year Vulcan coach Reed Sunahara. “We never gave up. It was disappointing to lose, but I am most proud of how gritty we have become and how they have all bought into what we are doing here.”

Back to Point Loma. Without Nua, Saren Rogers stepped up big again with a match-high 22 kills. Jill Leslie had 12 and Ellie Nichols came off the bench to put down eight. Sophia Baugh had 47 assists.

For Hilo, Chase Koepke had a season-high 17 kills with just two errors (.441). Malu Garcia had 15, many of them hit straight down to the floor. L.C. Nakagawa had 26 digs to lead all players in that category. Isabella Freeman had seven blocks and 14 kills.

Point Loma (24-3) advances to the PacWest Championship finals tomorrow (Friday) at 6 pm, against the winner of the other semifinal match between Chaminade and Fresno Pacific. Hawaii Hilo, ranked ninth in this week’s west region poll, sits at 20-9.