The nine graduating HPU seniors after the game!
The season curtain has fallen.
The Hawaiʻi Pacific University Sharks battled hard but ultimately got swept by the University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo Vulcans on Senior Night at the Shark Tank, 25-12, 25-21, and 25-23, on Saturday.
Nine HPU seniors were honored at the end in Raiatea Campbell, Alayna Grinstead, Jordyn McCutcheon, Taylor Kaoihana-Lee, Rosie Larkin, Chayse Hoon, Ella Schoene, Lauren Harris, and Sophia Cooper.
Taylor Kaoihana-Lee prepares to serve the ball in set three!
Cooper led the Sharks with 11 kills in the loss. She had a monster game with an ace and six digs. Harris had 11 assists herself.
Alohi Garcia (16) and Chase Koepke (13) combined for 29 kills for Hilo. Anolani Garcia logged 44 assists, and LC Nakagawa had 12 digs.
Hilo came ripping out of the gates in set one while HPU had trouble finding a solid rhythm. Hilo then used a 7-0 run to get a 14-4 lead. That included back-to-back Garcia aces.
HPU tried to rally, but Hilo was too far ahead. Hilo took set one, 25-12!
HPU’S Mayah Nakasato (28) prepares to serve the ball in set two!
Hilo’s Chase Koepke drew first blood in set two, but HPU finally got its first lead of the night thanks to a kill and block from Cooper.
Hilo wasn’t intimidated and retook the lead off a Santos kill, but HPU did not back down one bit!
HPU stuck to Hilo like glue and tied Hilo on several occasions, but they could not attain the lead.
Hilo’s Alohi Garcia (4) prepares to serve in set two here! Garcia had 16 kills and two aces in the win for the Vulcans.
Hilo busted through the dam with a 9-3 run to take a 19-14 lead, but HPU did not back off.
A Schoene kill kickstarted a 7-3 HPU run and put the Sharks down, 22-21, but the Vulcans were ready.
Hilo got consecutive kills from Logan Blutreich and Kaliko Kealoha and soared into the 25-21 win in set two!
“Everybody did the best they could,” said Kaoihana-Lee. “They proved we’re not gonna go down without a fight.”
Set three was the big chess match! HPU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead while Hilo took a little time to get something started!
HPU’s three local seniors, Raiatea Campbell (2), Jordyn McCutcheon (5), and Taylor Kaoihana-Lee (7) watch on the sidelines during set three.
A Garcia kill jump-started a massive 12-4 Hilo run, and the Vulcans soared into a 14-10 lead!
HPU responded with a 6-1 run that began with a Cooper kill and took a 16-15 lead! Hilo retook the lead after they reeled off three straight, but HPU still had something left. The Sharks got the lead back, 21-20, off a Larkin ace, and it looked like they might win set three, but Hilo had other plans.
A Kealoha kill put Hilo back in front, but HPU had a final gasp when a Mia Ferdinand kill tied the score again at 23; however, Hilo got consecutive Koepke kills to complete the sweep with the 25-23 win!
Hilo improves to 13-5 in the PacWest, and 21-8 overall, while HPU drops to 3-15 in the PacWest, and 4-20 overall.
Despite getting swept, Kaoihana-Lee plans to celebrate with dinner at Chili’s.
