Bruce Asato / basato@staradvertiser.com
San Diego’s C’era Oliveira
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After 14 grueling sets in a 48-hour period, San Diego’s C’era Oliveira didn’t get to touch the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational trophy.
That was about the only negative thing to happen to the 2010 Hawaii Baptist alumna in her return home.
Oliveira capped an amazing weekend with a 25-dig effort to lead the Toreros to a stunning five-set victory over host Hawaii on Sunday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
USD finished 2-1, losing in five sets to previous No. 1 Texas on Saturday, to jump from unranked to No. 14 in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll. Oliveira finished with 68 digs and 11 assists in three matches.
Texas, the defending national champion, got 36 digs and seven assists in three matches from senior Sarah Palmer, who was teammates with Oliveira at HBA.
Palmer had a season-high 16 digs in a tough five-set win over the Toreros and had 11 assists and three digs in a four-set loss to Hawaii on Friday.
Sophomore Kat Brooks (Punahou ’12) added 10 digs and three assists for the Longhorns.
UTEP finished 0-3 in the tourney but featured senior starting setter Malia Patterson, a 2010 Punahou alumna.
Patterson had 72 assists, averaging 7.2 per set, and added 12 digs and six block assists.