Photo gallery: Mililani vs, Kahuku

In the face of adversity, Mililani didn’t buckle.

The No. 4 Trojans shattered Kahuku’s perfect record in a 15-25, 25-21, 29-27, 25-14 upset in the OIA Red playoffs Thursday night at McKinley gym.

Mililani senior Ashlee Vaoifi finished with a match-high 17 kills and 15 digs, while middle Sarah Liva added nine kills and hit .240. Kahuku outside hitter Adora Anae posted 15 kills, 15 digs and four aces, followed by Talia Brown’s 11 kills.

Mililani (13-0) advances to the OIA Red championship on Wednesday, while Kahuku (13-1) is forced to duel with No. 7 Moanalua (12-3) on Tuesday. The No. 7 Menehunes swept No. 9 Farrington (11-5) earlier at McKinley, 25-16, 25-23, to keep their season alive.

With Kahuku’s dominance on the outside and Mililani’s power from the middle, Thursday’s was a championship-caliber matchup.

The Red Raiders gained an early four-point lead in Set 1 and contained the Trojans for most of the game. Kahuku’s Sinamoni Tonga came ready to play, putting down six kills in the first set. Kahuku pulled away with Anae’s back-to-back aces to lead 18-13 and force a Mililani timeout. The Red Raiders kept the momentum and closed the set with Mililani’s ninth hitting error.

The Trojans struggled offensively, hitting .081, but their middles executed brilliantly with seven of the team’s 12 kills and no errors.

Mililani coach Val Crabbe wasn’t sure how her team would bounce back after losing its first set of the season.

"The attempts were there, they just weren’t falling," Crabbe said. "I said ‘The game’s over, don’t hold back. You just gotta keep coming and they’ll fall.’ "

The Trojans appeared shaken in Set 2 with three hitting errors in the first four points, but two-time OIA West Player of the Year Jordyn Keamo rallied her team behind the service line. Keamo served five straight points, including an ace, to give Mililani a 5-4 edge.

Mililani mixed up its shots with tips, rolls and deep volleys into the corner to throw off Kahuku’s defense. Vaoifi’s deep tip down the line and over a Red Raider defender gave the Trojans a 23-20 lead before Kahuku’s final timeout. Keamo ended the game with a push into the left corner to tie the match at one set apiece.

The top teams of the East and West showed their best in Set 3 with 19 ties and nine lead changes.

Kahuku briefly held a 19-17 lead, but Keamo’s off-speed jump serve forced the Red Raiders into a hole. Sarah LeGalley later hammered an overpass to give Mililani a 22-19 lead.

The Red Raiders turned to Anae, who pounded two kills and an ace to tie the score at 23. The Red Raiders had three opportunities to end the game, but a Keamo tip fell to the floor at 27-27. Another Kahuku hit wide handed the Trojans game ball, which Jayierra Kapowai hammered off the block.

Kahuku came out deflated in Set 4 and a deluge of substitutes seemed to frazzle the team rather than help.

The Red Raiders played three setters, but it didn’t make much difference against Vaoifi. The 5-foot-5 outside hitter, who missed her junior season to injury, could not be stopped. She hit quick sets from the middle, used Kahuku’s block and pounded her final kill of the night as Mililani gained an 8-3 lead. The Trojans didn’t look back, leading 21-10 before the Red Raiders called their second timeout.

LeGalley’s fifth kill gave Mililani match point and Kahuku’s eighth hitting error handed the Trojans a spot in the OIA Red finals for the third year in a row.

"We just said we’re going to put all our faith in God in this one," Vaoifi said. "We’ve been practicing all year for this and we never underestimated them. It feels amazing. I couldn’t wish for any more right here."