AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific nearly matched visiting Hawai'i Hilo swing for swing Thursday night in Pacific West Conference volleyball action, but the Cougars were edged in all three sets of a 25-22, 17-25, 25-19 Vulcan sweep.

Both teams registered 41 kills and finished just one ace and one block apart in the final statistics, but Hawai'i Hilo broke away in the middle of all three sets to post the sweep. In the opening set, the Vulcans scored six of seven points to break a 14-14 tie, and they rallied from a 24-22 deficit late in the second set with another 5-1 run. In the third set, Hawai'i Hilo turned a 17-15 edge into a match-ending 8-4 run.

Both of Azusa Pacific's offensive leaders both converted at a hitting percentage over .300, as sophomore outside hitter Natalie Klapp led the way with a match-high 14 kills and a .323 attack percentage while Ally Gonzalez came off the bench to contribute nine kills with just one error (.333). Klapp also registered double figures in digs with 13, the seventh time in the past nine matches she has posted double-digits in both kills and digs.

Hawai'i Hilo was led by Marley Strand-Nicolaisen, who notched 13 kills and was the only Vulcan hitter with double-digit kills.

Freshman Sara Wagenveld had a hand in four of Azusa Pacific's seven team blocks, while fellow freshmen Aliyah Morrison and Julianne Miller added three blocks each. Freshman libero Bailey Henington registered a team-high 15 digs. Klapp and Wagenveld each served a pair of aces for the Cougars, who fell to 6-8 overall and 2-3 in PacWest play, while Hawai'i Hilo improved to 5-5 overall and 3-2 PacWest.

The Cougars remain home for the third match of four consecutive home contests, hosting Concordia on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 3 p.m.