The UH-Hilo volleyball team’s shot at the postseason all but ended after an early morning five-set loss to two-time PacWest champion Azusa Pacific, which had lost four straight until finding itself on Saturday.
The Cougars edged the Vulcans 24-26, 26-24, 20-25, 25-23, 15-10 before 173 fans at UHH gym, where a blocking clinic was on display. APU out-blocked UHH, 14-11. Bria Beale
In the second match, the Vulcans defeated the Cougars in another five-setter 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 15-25, 15-13 to conclude APU’s six-match road trip. UHH was powered by Bria Beale (20 kills), Samara Cruz (12) and Ashton Jessee (nine).
The Cougars (17-9, 12-6 PacWest) went 1-5 on their road Hawaii road trip while the Vulcans (16-6, 13-5) likely did not do enough.
It’s more likely than not, probably around 99.9%, that UHH will not be ranked in the final West Region poll that comes out Monday, not after losses to subpar Saint Martins and conference foes Hawaii Pacific, Concordia, Biola, Academy of Art, and APU.
For more hard evidence, the Vulcans were not ranked in the Top 10 in the first two West Region polls. The champions of the PacWest, CCAA, and GNAC earn automatic qualifiers to the postseason. The West Region poll determines the other five teams to the eight-team West Regional.
UHH reached the postseason in 2019 for the first time since 2011 and much was expected for this season’s squad, which returned three key seniors: outside hitter Beale, middle blocker Jessee, and right-side hitter Alex Parisian.
However, Parisian went down with a knee injury against Biola in a five-set win loss on Oct. 6 at home, and UHH was never the same. The Vuls are 7-4 in her absence.
Against APU in the morning match, UHH had more kills (68-67), aces (6-3), and digs (111-105).
But in Game 5, Beale had a kill to get the Vuls within 13-10, but Anna Jorgenson knocked down a kill, and an APU block ended the match and UHH’s postseason hopes.
Beale had a season-high 23 kills on 74 swings, hit .176, and added 16 digs for a double-double for UHH, which hit .203. Samara Cruz had 13 kills on 45 attempts, hit .143 and had 25 digs for a double-double. Sydney Gott had 12 kills, 7.5 blocks, and hit .333. Jessee finished with nine kills and one block.
Tani Hoke had 30 digs and Maddie Blandford added 18 for the Vuls, who saw 18 lead changes in the match.
Jorgenson finished with 22 kills on 64 swings, hit .281 and had 20 digs, Katarina Radisic added 14 kills, and Kyra Palmbush had nine kills for the Cougars, who had a .223 hitting clip.
In the roller-coaster PacWest, the Cougars entered their six-match road trip in first place, dropped four straight and fell into a tie for fourth with UHH entering the backend of a doubleheader.
Chaminade was fifth in the West Region poll released on Wednesday. APU was ninth, and Biola 10th. Cal State San Bernardino, from the CCAA, was No. 1, and Western Washington, from the GNAC, was No. 2
After 10 sets and over five hours in one day, the old saying applies to the Vulcans: Too little, too late.