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No. 4 Moanalua got off to what coach Tommy Lake called its "typical slow start."

Once down 7-0 in the first set, Na Menehune rolled to a 25-22, 25-10 victory over host Kaiser in an OIA Red East game on Thursday.

Moanalua remained tied for first in league play at 8-1 with Kahuku and Castle, which also won on Thursday.

Only the top two seeds receive first-round byes in the OIA tournament, which begins in three weeks.

Since losing its only match in conference, to Farrington, more than two weeks ago, Moanalua hasn’t dropped a set in winning its last five.

Kaiser (3-6) nearly ended that run in the first set.

Sophomore Silerolia Gaogao had four of her five kills in the first set as Moanalua erased their deficit at 11-all.

The teams tied each other five more times, including the last at 20-all.

Kaiser had a swing to tie the game at 22 when 5-foot-11 middle Analise Austin came up with the huge block, allowing Moanalua to eventually take the set.

"We got off to our typical slow start," Lake said. "We were trying to play all of our back-row players because that’s probably our biggest strength."

Lake changed things up in the second set, starting junior outside hitter Daisge Smith in the front row for one of the few times this season.

She responded with an early kill as Moanalua raced out to a 7-2 advantage. Na Menehune poured it on as Austin served consecutive aces, two of Moanalua’s six in the set, to take a 12-5 lead.

Moanalua finished with nine in the match to only one service error.

Sophomore setter Shaylah Kagehiro paced Na Menehune with 15 assists and eight digs.

Kaiser junior Makena Kaaialii finished with 11 assists and two digs and senior Kayla Nihipali had a team-high five kills on 13 swings.

Moanalua closes the regular season next week, first playing Kailua and then heading to Kahuku for a match that could decide who receives one of the two byes in the playoffs.

"We can’t look past Kailua," Lake warned. "They’ve been playing some good volleyball."