Kamehameha controlled the first touch and eventually the match.

Braelyn Akana had eight kills, Kayla Afoa had seven and Kili Robins added six to help second-ranked Kamehameha sweep host and fourth-ranked ‘Iolani 25-17, 25-23 in an ILH volleyball match on Saturday.

The second-ranked Warriors (2-0) focused on directing good passes at setter Lexis Akeo. In her hands, she sets a quick offense that involves sophomore middles Akana and Kalina Obrey. With the exception of a stretch late in Set 2, the Warriors gave her lots of good balls to work with.

“We’re fortunate to have what we have,” said Kamehameha coach Chris Blake. “In order for Braelyn and Kalina to do the things they’re doing, we definitely have to control first touch. I thought we controlled first touch really well today to put us into system and running through our middles helps to open up our pins (outside hitters).”

Akana and Obrey combined for 12 kills and five blocks. When Akeo wasn’t sending them out on slide attacks, she fed them balls in the middle throughout the match.

“Good pass and even a bad pass, I try to set them because I know how strong they are,” said Akeo, who finished with 25 assists and two blocks. “But usually the passes are on the money.”

Kamehameha beat ‘Iolani in five sets in last year’s state championship match. Both teams graduated several starters, but Akeo is back after directing the offense as a freshman.

“She came back a lot better — she’s jumping higher, she’s doing things and she’s stronger in her mind, which allows us to run our offense a little bit differently than we did before,” Blake said of Akeo. “But it comes down to the things that she’s doing is based on our first touch. I thought Kayla Afoa, Kili Robins and Kyra Hanawahine did an excellent job of getting that first touch in the system so we could distribute it out and do good things.”

Saige Kaahaaina-Torres and Elena Oglivie had six kills each for the Raiders (0-1). Sasha Petticord was in on five of ‘Iolani’s seven blocks.

The Raiders called a timeout down 15-9 and hitting negative in Set 2. Akana’s kill made it 16-9 before the Raiders pulled off an 8-1 run to tie the set at 17. Kaahaaina-Torres’ serving started the run, forcing tough passes by Kamehameha. Kamehameha’s middles didn’t have a kill during ‘Iolani’s run.

“They were serving really tough and we had a little bit of struggle getting the passes and I had a struggle working with the passes,” Akeo said.

The Warriors pulled ahead to 20-17 and 23-20, but ‘Iolani responded with each surge. Petticord’s kill helped ‘Iolani close to 23-22. Afoa’s kill put the Warriors at match point, but a kill from Kaahaaina-Torres forced Kamehameha to call a timeout at 24-23.

“We try to have the kids treat it by point by point, to keep it separated,” ‘Iolani coach Kainoa Obrey said. “That’s how you make up differences. If you’re looking at a 10-point deficit, that’s a long road. But if you treat it point by point, then you never know what happens.”

The Warriors finally ran their middle attack as Akana buried match point.

“What it came down to on that last play was an excellent pass and we were able to get that ball to Brae and she was able to put it away for us,” Blake said.

Kamehameha led by six on two occasions midway through Set 1, only to see its lead trimmed to 20-17. Robins had a kill and a block following a timeout to swing the momentum back to Kamehameha. Maluhia Maa’s kill off an overpass ended the set.