The Kamehameha Warriors expect every opponent’s best effort on any given night. And against giant-slaying Mid-Pacific in the Owls’ gym, that wariness was especially justified.

The top-ranked Warriors shook off the 10th-ranked Owls’ best shots for a hard-earned 25-23, 25-21 victory last night. Kamehameha (8-0) survived where then-No. 2 Punahou couldn’t last week; the Owls knocked off the Buffanblu in three and cracked the Star-Advertiser Top 10.

MPI (4-3) showed it was no fluke by pulling to within 22-21 of Kamehameha in the first set, and 21-20 in the second. Both times, however, a tying point in those late stages eluded the hosts.

"They’re a very well-rounded team, well coached, well balanced, and they gave us everything we could handle tonight," Kamehameha coach Chris Blake said. "For us to have the success that we did, it was one of our better matches that we’ve played as a team. And part of it is due to what Mid-Pac has brought for us, knowing we had to step it up because we expect everybody’s best match every time we play."

Kamehameha freshman setter Alohi Robins-Hardy posted 21 assists and hit three different teammates for kills to close out the first frame. Each point was necessary as MPI hitter Kelly Nakandakari heated up for kills on the Owls’ final four points of the set and whipped up the home half of the gym into a frenzy.

The Warriors pulled ahead in the second set on a peppering of quicksets to 6-foot senior middle Talia Jardin-Fermantez, who tied for match-high kill honors (eight) with teammate Misty Ma’a.

"We knew their win against Punahou definitely gave them fire to come at us today, but we just came into the game with the confidence that we had to take this game," Jardin-Fermentez said. "Pretty much every day we work hard in practice, trying to stick our passes. Our setters work hard … all of our hitters just go out with the confidence that we’re going to put the ball down."

That connection worked five times in the second set, but MPI adjusted to the middle and caught Kamehameha at 17. The Owls threatened to extend it to a third set, but their chances took a hit with three service errors on the Warriors’ final five points.

"I just think it was a part in the game where we are learning to create our own destinies through pressure situations," said MPI coach Vernon Podlewski. "And the more we’re in those kind of games, the better practice we get.

"Those are the game situations you learn so much from. So I’m happy we were in that kind of situation, win or lose."

Nakandakari and Kaili Ayers each had six kills for MPI, while Camille Ganahl added five.