The Buffanblu top Moanalua to earn a title-game rematch

BY KRYSTLE MARCELLUS
2014 November 7 SPT - Punahou Buffanblu's Kiana Peroff puts down a kill against the Moanalua Na Menehune's Silerolia “Lia” Geogao in the New City Nissan Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Division I girl's semifinal state volleyball championship at McKinley High School Gymnasium in Honolulu on Friday, November 7, 2014, Honolulu Star-Advertiser photo by Krystle Marcellus keywords:

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Punahou gets another shot at Kamehameha.

The two girls volleyball powers will meet in Saturday’s state championship match after Punahou defeated second-seeded Moanalua 25-19, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18 in Friday’s semifinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division I State Championships at McKinley.

Punahou (15-3) will play top-seeded and top-ranked Kamehameha (17-0) in Saturday’s 7 p.m. championship match at Blaisdell Arena. The Warriors won all three of this season’s matches against Punahou, including a five-set victory on Oct. 23. Kamehameha beat Punahou in last year’s championship match. Punahou won state titles in 2011 and 2012.

"We knew we wanted to be in the state final tomorrow," said Kiana Peroff, who led Punahou with 17 kills and a .600 hitting percentage.

McKenna Granato had 15 kills for the Buffanblu, ranked second in the Star-Advertiser Top 10. Setter Kiani Tuileta had 55 assists as Punahou outhit Moanalua .232 to .120.

"We had to start off strong and finish strong," Malufau said. "This could’ve been our last game."

Lia Gaogao had 12 kills and Jojo Kruize and Arendia Ruiter had nine each for the No. 3 Na Menehune (15-1).

"They served tough, they got us out of system and the block was already setting up on our outside," Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting said.

Peroff, a rightside hitter, hit through and around Moanalua’s block. Her play has improved as her connection with Tuileta has improved over the season.

"Kiani and my connection, in the beginning of the season, we were good, then we plateaued a little bit," Peroff said. "For the end of the season, we were able to get our connection going."

After dropping Set 3, Punahou pulled away midway through Set 4. Granato had three kills and a block during an 8-1 run that put the Buffanblu ahead 20-10.

Gaogao didn’t get a kill until Set 2 and got her second kill early in Set 3. As her hitting attempts began finding the floor, Moanalua became more competitive. She had two kills and Bryanne Yasui served back-to-back aces to help Moanalua tie it at 19-19. Gaogao’s kill put Na Menehune at set point. Punahou hit into the net to end the set.

"We set up a different defense for Punahou, and once we were able to stick to that and have Jojo (hit) in the back row, (those) were the keys to getting us back," Cabanting said.