By: Hope Hensley
October 9, 2026
HONOLULU — Opening their three-match Hawaiian road trip with a display of pure grit and determination, the Westmont women's volleyball team earned a monumental five-set victory (25–18, 17–25, 17–25, 25–22, 16–14) over Chaminade University on Friday evening at McCabe Gym.
The victory marked a historic milestone for the program, securing Westmont's first-ever win over Chaminade.
"This is the first time our program has beaten Chaminade, so for all the players on this team, it's their first time beating them in a match," said Westmont Head Coach Ruth McGolpin. "That is definitely something special for them to hang their hats on. It was a complete, gritty performance by our group."
Freshman Maxine Meder delivered a breakout performance to lead the Warriors (7-9, 4-4 PacWest). Meder posted a team-high eight kills on a blistering .538 hitting percentage (8-1-13) while contributing six block assists and crucial play at the net.
"Maxine did a fantastic job playing opposite for us tonight," McGolpin praised. "To step up as a freshman and lead us with eight kills while hitting .538 was huge."
Westmont set the tone early by taking the opening set 25–18, but Chaminade (10-10, 4-6 PacWest) responded by taking sets two and three by identical 25–17 scores.
With their backs against the wall, the Warriors dug in during a tightly contested fourth set that featured nine ties and five lead changes. Westmont's front row proved decisive down the stretch, compiling 34 block assists on the night to stymie the Silverswords' attack and force a decisive fifth set with a 25–22 win.
In a tense fifth frame, the Warriors showcased remarkable composure, pulling out a 16–14 victory to secure the match.
Junior outside hitter Ceanna O'Loughlin recorded a team-high 11 kills, while Valerie Coward and Audrey Hyde added nine and eight kills, respectively. Middle blocker Jordan Weston anchored the net defense with 10 block assists, while Camila Cornejo-Farmer contributed eight kills and seven block assists.
"The stats weren't necessarily stellar across the board, but our blocking came through when it needed to, and we got key kills down the stretch," McGolpin noted. "Our grit and determination in sets four and five were excellent."
Defensively, libero Rylee Elias led all Warriors with 18 digs, while Alyson Wurster (11 digs) and Malia de Jesus (11 digs) reached double figures. Setters Lily Underwood (23 assists) and Sierra McClure (15 assists) handled the playmaking duties.
The Warriors also received extra motivation from a vocal contingent in the stands, as the Westmont women's soccer team—also in Hawaii for their road swing—and athletic trainer Abby came out to cheer on their fellow Warriors.
"I want to give a huge shoutout to our women's soccer team and our trainer, Abby," McGolpin added. "Having those girls in the stands cheering loudly was a true inspiration to us. It was awesome to see that ongoing love and support within the Westmont Warrior family, and we really appreciated it."
"We bump up in the standings, but we have to turn around and do it all again tomorrow against a Hawaii Pacific team that is going to battle us," McGolpin said. "We're excited to get back out there and compete."
The Warriors continue their Hawaii road swing on Saturday night when they face Hawaii Pacific University.
