Biola University Athletics

Honolulu, HI --- Biola Volleyball swept the red hot Silverswords in straight sets inside McCabe Gymnasium. A pivotal PacWest victory for the Eagles gives them their first conference win of the season.

The Eagles started set one with confidence, scoring three straight, capped by a Simi Kapustova ace. The Silverswords would make a statement of their own taking the lead, 9-8. A Hannah Hanson kill would start an 8-0 run, giving Biola a dominant 16-9 advantage. Kills from Kendall Vandertuig, Payton Tully, and Beth Bellfi late in the set would seal it for BU, taking the first set 25-22. 

After dropping the first four points of set two, Biola would struggle to respond to the strong Chaminade attack. Trailing by six, a huge block by Hanson and Kapustova flipped the momentum. The Eagles would go on a 17-7 run stealing the second set, 25-22. Vandertuig and Juliana Van Ommering would combine for six of the 10 BU kills. 

Biola dominated the third set. A five-point surge was capped by a Bri Bellfi ace, putting the Eagles in front for good. A Hanson kill would bring them to set point and Vandertuig would seal the sweep. 

Vandertuig logged her sixth double-double, firing 16 kills on a .414 clip. Hanson had a near triple-double finishing with eight kills, 14 assists, and nine digs. Van Ommering added nine kills of her own, while Lexi Lambert secured her own double-double with 15 assists and 11 digs. 

The Eagles improve to 10-5 overall and 1-1 in conference, while the Silverswords drop to 11-8 overall and 5-1 in conference.

Biola will visit The Shark Tank tomorrow night to take on Hawaii Pacific at 6 p.m. HT (9 p.m. PT).