Chaminade University's Lilinoe Paschoal (7) sets the ball to Anna Karasinska in a match against Hawaii Pacific on Saturday at Jon Garcia Gym. Photo courtesy Hawaiian Style Volleyball Club

On Saturday, women’s volleyball teams from Chaminade University, the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Pacific University faced off in a round-robin, spring exhibition tournament for the first time on Maui.

More than 800 people attended the matches at the Jon Garcia Gym on Baldwin High School’s campus. The tournament featuring three NCAA Division II teams was sponsored by the Hawaiian Style Volleyball Club, and it was especially fun for Chaminade sophomore setter Lilinoe Paschoal, who went undefeated inside Baldwin’s gym before graduating from the school in 2025.

The Silverswords won both of their matches and all six of their sets Saturday.

“It was amazing, just having a completely new team from what I had just a year ago,” said Paschoal, a three-time Maui Interscholastic League Player of the Year and a four-time MIL champion. “It was just a special homecoming. It made me really happy.”

The Silverswords swept UH Hilo 25-12, 26-24, 15-8 in the second match of the three-match tournament. Paschoal served three straight aces to end the second set.

“I did not expect that, honestly. I was just like, ‘alright, I’m in. We’re down one set point to them. I’m just going to give it my all and hope for the best,'” Paschoal said. “And it worked. I’ve never done that before.”

Chaminade sophomore Lilinoe Paschoal (7) is introduced prior to a match against Hawaii Pacific on Saturday at Jon Garcia Gym. Photo courtesy Hawaiian Style Volleyball Club

Hawaii Pacific setter Jordyn McCutcheon, a redshirt senior, graduated from Molokai High School in 2022, and she was playing in her first college matches in Maui County since high school on Saturday. At 5-foot-6, McCutcheon recorded a solo block to stave off set point in the second set of a 26-24, 25-16, 25-20 loss to Chaminade in the final match of the day.

Hawaii Pacific setter Jordyn McCutcheon (5) serves during the Sharks’ match against Chaminade on Saturday. Photo courtesy Hawaiian Style Volleyball Club

“It felt nice to be here because I feel like a lot of kids playing in Maui County don’t always get to see the Oahu schools — the competition level is just so much higher there,” McCutcheon said. “So being able to come here instead of all the kids coming to Oahu, being able to showcase what the schools are like and how competitive volleyball can be in college, I felt like it was a good thing for the community to see.”

Hawaii Pacific setter Jordyn McCutcheon (5) greets the crowd before the Sharks’ match against Chaminade on Saturday. Photo courtesy Hawaiian Style Volleyball Club

UH Hilo swept Hawaii Pacific 25-22, 34-32 in a match that was limited to three sets due to a preset time limit.

Many of the athletes, including both Lilinoe Paschoal and McCutcheon, are in the middle of the beach volleyball season. McCutcheon is a psychology major with the goal of being a sports psychologist, and Paschoal is majoring in sports and event management.

All three coaches said the first-time event was a success for their spring practice seasons. The tournament was coordinated with young players in mind, and 30 players from Lahainaluna High School attended the matches while the ball shaggers came from the Hawaiian Style Volleyball Club, which is run by Al and Sheryl Paschoal, Lilinoe’s parents.

“Cool is an understatement. It was absolutely incredible,” Chaminade head coach Kahala Kabalis Hoke said. “Hawaiian Style, Al and Sheryl, just unreal hospitality taking care of us. So, we’re so appreciative.”

Kaballis Hoke also complimented the Maui County community and said Chaminade hopes to play in the tournament many more times in the future because “‘it was so amazing.”

“This is so cool, we’ve been talking about it for awhile, but nobody has really anchored this opportunity for us, so hats off to coach Al for putting this together,” UH Hilo assistant coach Ecko Osorio said while filling in for head coach Reed Sunahara, who was away on a recruiting trip.

Osorio summed up the idea of the day.

“This is for the kids. We want to showcase our athletes to the kids,” Osorio said. “We want them to know that there is something after high school to look forward to or at least set their goals on, give them opportunities to go for it. Who knows how many future Vulcans, Sharks and Silverswords are in the stands today?”