This was the payoff year for Baldwin’s finest senior class in, perhaps, decades.

Instead, ILH runner-up Kamehameha stifled the tall, talented Bears at every pivotal moment for a 25-19, 25-13, 26-24 sweep on Thursday night at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium.

Kamehameha (15-8 overall), the defending state champion, advanced to the semifinal round of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships. The Warriors will meet OIA champion Moanalua at 7 p.m. today at Punahou’s Hemmeter Fieldhouse.

Kalaweloilehua Chock led the Warriors with 18 kills and 12 digs. Kamana‘o‘okalani Goldstein tallied 10 kills and two aces, and Kalamakuokana‘auao Crabbe chipped in five kills. Sophomore setter Tiahna Aldeguer dished 30 assists, adding three aces, three kills and eight digs.

“The biggest adjustment was adapting to their serve, but it was just talking on the court,” Chock said. “It was ups and downs throughout the whole game. Once we started to regroup and talk more, it just flowed better.”

The change in momentum for each team’s serve game was major.

“We trusted each other,” Aldeguer said. “In the beginning, we were rushing. In the second set, we had to take our time, breathe and go for it. Not lollipop it.”

Amanda Naipo and Ariana Naipo had six kills each to pace the Bears, who were 14-0 in Maui Interscholastic League play and entered the tournament seeded third. Middle Kuulei Manaois had five kills and three blocks, while setter Lilinoe Paschoal dished 22 assists and had five kills.

“When you come here, it’s such a big gym, it takes a while to get used to it. When we’re not passing well, we’re a little more predictable, and that’s the last thing you want against Kamehameha,” Baldwin coach Al Paschoal said. “Their coverage and their defense is fantastic.”

Natronal Anana had a team-high 13 digs for the Bears.

Baldwin (20-4 overall) had to deal with a tough draw in a quarterfinal, facing a team that was ranked in the Top 3 statewide all season — on the opponent’s home court.

“I think it makes a big difference. We want to defend our home court,” Goldstein said.

“And we’re used to playing here. We know the lines and lighting,” Aldeguer added. “Having our support, our families here, definitely makes a difference.”

Baldwin was on point from the start and opened an 8-5 lead after an ace by Elizabeth Ganer and a roof by Shylah Pulu-Valdez on Alohilani Chun. Kamehameha had some struggles with Baldwin’s serve.

Kamehameha took a 12-11 lead on a kill by Crabbe, but the Bears battled back and regained the lead, 14-13, on an ace by Ariana Naipo. The Warriors scored the next four points, including two kills by Aldeguer, to take the lead for good.

Baldwin got within 20-19, but Aldeguer delivered an ace as Kamehameha scored the final five points. Paschoal had a service error, Chock had a right-side kill, a kill on an overpass, and a kill off a deflected kill attempt by Chun to end set one.

Goldstein dropped two aces, untouched, and after a hitting error out of the back row by Amanda Naipo, Kamehameha led 5-1 and the Bears called time out.

After the barrage of blasts by Chock in set one — seven kills — Baldwin had to withstand the machine-gun work of Goldstein. The senior had four kills and two aces. A long rally midway through the second game, with a pancake dig by both teams, and a great hustle play by the Bears on a ball in the far corner, ended on another Chock kill for a 13-8 Kamehameha edge.

After Goldstein’s two aces landed untouched, the Bears seemed to have little fuel left. The Bears regrouped in set three and went ahead 7-6 on a kill by Amanda Naipo. Kamehameha took a 12-11 lead on a right-side kill by Goldstein, but Baldwin went on a 7-4 run, getting a kill from Amanda Naipo, a tip kill by Manaois and then two aces by Amanda Naipo for a 20-16 lead.

The Warriors were within three points when Manaois scored on a step-out kill for a 22-18 edge. Again, Baldwin looked entirely like a team capable of pushing Kamehameha to the maximum. Instead, Chock came through with another right-side kill, and after two hitting errors by Ariana Naipo, the game was tied at 22.

A roof on Crabbe by Bears middle Imani-Maile Hargis gave Baldwin a 24-23 lead, but Crabbe answered with three consecutive swings. The third one off a Baldwin block landed out to tie the set at 24.

Kamehameha sophomore Melahi Palencia then posted her second ace of the match to give the Warriors the lead, and Goldstein ended it with her final kill.

“We made two crucial errors down the stretch and a couple of free balls over after that, you can’t do that after 20 if you want to win. You need to maintain the sideout game, serve-receive error,” coach Paschoal said.

It was a tough draw for Kamehameha, but Baldwin, as a third seed, was aligned to play the ILH runner-up in a 12-team field with half the teams from one league (OIA).

“When you’re a seeded team, third, and you get Kapalama in their home gym, I don’t know what’s going on. … Getting two home games in the state tournament, something’s up with that draw,” Paschoal said.

Sites are determined in large part by schools willing to volunteer their gyms.

“It had nothing to do with the reason we lost. That’s a good team on the other side,” Paschoal said.

Coach Chris Blake has led Kamehameha to 12 state championships.

“We’re definitely proud of all our girls. Baldwin is a very good team, senior heavy. Very well coached. We knew they’re fighting for their season. Baldwin fought really hard. Their setter is amazing and their hitters are set up for success,” Blake said. “We’re proud of the way our team fought through that adversity.”

‘Iolani 3, Kahuku 0

Poema Kalama-Kingma had 13 kills and 10 digs, and Taimane Ainuu added 12 kills as the Raiders beat the Red Raiders 25-18, 25-19, 25-21 at Punahou.

Bailey Nakanelua posted 28 assists for ‘Iolani, which will play Kapolei in today’s quarterfinals at 5 p.m. at Punahou.

Cha’lei Reid finished with 17 kills for Kahuku.

Moanalua 3, Kalaheo 0

The second-seeded Menehune continued their hot run with a 25-20, 25-16, 25-18 sweep of upset-minded Kalaheo. Moanalua (26-4 overall) will battle Kamehameha in a semifinal at Hemmeter Fieldhouse today.

Senior Zaria Queen led Moanalua with 12 kills, adding three aces and eight digs.

Moanalua setters Kaila Kalama-Bajet and Jayde Ta‘amu were stellar. Kalama-Bajet had five kills, 11 assists, five aces and four digs, while Ta‘amu tallied 18 assists, eight digs and one kill. Senior Jerney Tang-Silva had six kills and seven digs, and Chloe Fukumitsu chipped in five kills.

Jourdyn Kekauoha-Viena had 18 kills for Kalaheo. Jayda Satele-Filifili added seven kills, 14 assists and 10 digs, and Jazz Satele-Filifili had five kills and 16 digs. Brooke Kearlsey dished 15 assists and hustled for seven digs. Bella Lizama chipped in nine digs.

Moanalua has not lost since Aug. 31.

Kapolei 3, Kamehameha-Hawaii 1

Leila Paraoan had 15 kills and 17 digs as the Hurricanes defeated the Warriors 25-19, 24-26, 25-15, 25-16 at Punahou.

Tehani Fa’asuamanu recorded 22 assists and Anny Scott added 15 for Kapolei.

Mia Polloi finished with 10 kills, and Maile Kuamo’o had 33 assists and 17 digs for Kamehameha-Hawaii.

Division II

Hawaii Baptist 3, Seabury Hall 0

Marisa Nakata finished with 14 kills, and Kylie Ancheta added 13 kills and 15 digs as the Eagles beat the Spartans 25-7, 25-16, 25-21 at Kalani.

Katelynn Albano recorded 32 assists for Hawaii Baptist, which will face Kapaa in today’s quarterfinals at 5 p.m. at Kalani.

Clia Kafka had seven kills for Seabury Hall.

Kapaa 3, Castle 2

Carlyn Kamoku finished with 26 kills on 56 swings and Kanoe Haneberg added 11 kills as the Warriors outlasted the Knights 25-22, 23-25, 21-25, 25-14, 15-9 at Kalani.

Taira Samiano had 44 assists and five aces for Kapaa. Olivia Jenkins and Kanani Silva each finished with 19 digs.

Trystin Lum finished with 14 kills and Lehiwa Kapu had 30 assists for Castle.

Hawaii Prep 3, Damien 0

Mya Pinkert and Chloe Willman each had seven kills, and Ka Makani served up 12 aces in a 25-22, 25-23, 25-21 win over the Monarchs at Kaimuki.

Maile Imonen recorded 23 assists for Hawaii Prep, which will face Le Jardin in today’s quarterfinals at 7 p.m. at Kalani.

Marion Hall had 14 kills and Tiani Pitt added 12 for Damien.

Le Jardin 3, Maui Prep 0

Sydney Kennedy had 18 kills and Taylor Amby finished with 35 assists as the Bulldogs beat Na Pueo 25-13, 26-24, 25-20 at Kaimuki.

Kennedy had three of Le Jardin’s eight aces.

Lauren Brown finished with 11 kills for Maui Prep.