In a season where predicting a volleyball champion is as inexact a science as foretelling gasoline prices, perhaps no team is as difficult to account for as talent-loaded Chaminade.

The Silverswords are a healthy 3-1 (8-6 overall) in conference play heading into tonight's match with Dixie State in St. George, Utah. However, the three victories came against two teams that have yet to notch a win in conference play (the Silverswords opened the season with a 3-2 victory over Hawai'i Pacific and last week won a pair of matches against Notre Dame de Namur) and their one loss came in a 3-0 sweep by first-place Brigham Young-Hawai'i.

A clearer understanding of just where this year's Chaminade squad fits on the evolving conference landscape should come over the next few days, as the Silverswords face Dixie State (0-2, 3-7) today and tomorrow, then head to Phoenix, Ariz., to face No. 2 Grand Canyon (2-0, 8-7) on Friday and Saturday.

"I expect us to be right there with everybody in the conference," said head coach Glennie Adams.

As usual, Adams didn't shy away from testing her players with a tough preconference schedule. After a season-opening victory against Embry-Riddle, Chaminade lost consecutive matches to Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Baptist, Nebraska Kearney, Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington, before bouncing back with wins over St Mary, St. Martin and Seattle Pacific.

"People thought I was crazy," Adams said. "It didn't work out in wins-versus-losses, but it prepared us well for the conference."

The Silverswords are led by the polished play of senior outside hitter Trina Kauliakamoa, junior middle blocker Vanja Radanovic and sophomore setter Tanya Alvino.

Kauliakamoa, a two-time all-PacWest selection, is ranked second in the conference in kills (3.78 per game) while hitting .236.

"She's taken her game up several notches," Adams said.

Radanovic's return from a torn ACL (which cut her season short after seven games last year) has been a major factor in the Silverswords success this season. Adams considers Radanovic perhaps the best middle blocker in the conference and said her loss last season left a "monster" hole on the team.

"She's by far our most efficient hitter," she said. "She's not the type to stand out with a lot of rah-rah and hoopla, she just gets the job done."

Alvino was solid as a freshman last season and has only improved with more repetitions. She ranks fourth in the PacWest with 8.37 assists per set.

Chaminade was without Radanovic and Alvino the last time they played BYUH. With everyone of the squad finally healthy, Adams said she expects a closer contest when the two clash again on Oct. 17.

"I felt we competed really well the last time," Adams said. "We'll play a lot better next time."

PUZEY WINS, REAPS

BYUH junior Thomas Rivers Puzey won the BYU-Hawai'i Invitational on Saturday, finishing the 5-kilometer course in a speedy 16 minutes and 3 seconds — breaking teammate Brendan McMaster's one-week-old school record for the distance — to lead the Seasiders past the Silverswords 15-63.

For his efforts, Puzey was named the PacWest men's cross country runner of the week.

The Seasiders took nine of the top 11 finishing places, including the first eight.

AMPARAN RIGHT BEHIND

Seasiders freshman Danielle Amparan also earned PacWest honors for her pivotal fifth-place finish at the BYUH meet.

Amparan finished in 20:24, helping the Seasiders to a complete sweep of the dual-meet event. Amparan's recognition broke a string of three consecutive runner-of-the-week awards for teammate Amanda Whitford, who nonetheless won the meet in a time of 18:16.

MEARNS HONORED, TOO

Sophomore forward Emily Mearns' schizophrenic week paid off with another soccer player-of-the-week award for the Seasiders.

Mearns racked up 10 points on three goals and four assists as BYUH motored to a 3-1 week.

Mearns scored two goals and assisted on three others as BYUH defeated Northwest Nazarene, 5-2, last Monday.

After two games in which she registered neither a goal nor an assist (a 5-1 win over Grand Canyon and a 2-1 loss to Dixie State), Mearns came off the bench for a goal and an assist to help the Seasiders past Notre Dame de Namur, 2-0, Saturday.