The wait continues for King Kekaulike Na Alii. The visitors from Maui were bounced from the state volleyball tournament after just one match for the sixth time in the past seven years Thursday night.
This time, unseeded ILH runner-up ‘Iolani did the damage with a 25-18, 22-25, 25-12, 25-8 victory over third-seeded MIL champion King Kekaulike in the Division I quarterfinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships at the Moanalua High gym.
The Raiders (10-5), ranked No. 2 in the Star-Advertiser Top 10, take on Mililani in the semifinals at 5 p.m. today at McKinley High. They’re trying to get back what they won in 2016 but lost to Kamehameha last year — the D-I championship. The defending champion and top-ranked Warriors and Kahuku go at it in the second semifinal at McKinley tonight.
“First is Mililani, they’re good, OIA champions, so we have another champion we’ve got to go through,” ‘Iolani coach Kainoa Obrey said. “But we embrace the challenge. We love the adversity and we want to go after it, and we want to play the best teams along the way.”
It was the first loss of the year for Na Alii (14-1), who are No. 3 in the Star-Advertiser Top 10.
King Kekaulike coach Al Paschoal credited his team’s passing in the second-set win.
“When we don’t pass, we’re going to go that way (lose),” he said. ” We have good enough middles (Temahh Shaw and Lyric Love) where if we can keep them active, it’ll help our pins. If not, it’s going to be tough.”
For ‘Iolani, it helps to have outside hitter Elena Oglivie, who led the charge in the third and fourth sets. Oglivie finished with 22 kills and hit .370.
“I thought we weren’t playing as who we are,” Oglivie said about the second set. “We were a little scared, a little nervous and just not controlling what we can control. We did a good job showing we’re tough and getting back to playing as ‘Iolani.”
Izzy Sakoda had eight kills for the Raiders, Grace Wee had 15 digs and Kristen McDaniel contributed 29 assists.
For King Kekaulike, Nohokula Lind fired down 10 kills and Kalena Vaivai had 26 assists. Four Na Alii players hit double-digit digs, led by Kiana Anakalea with 16.
“‘Iolani is really good competition,” said Vaivai, who is a Utah State commit. “We tried our best to prepare for it, but the level is so much faster here than on Maui. It’s a good experience. I was a little frustrated. It’s my last year and I wanted to do my best for my team.”
There were eight ties in the first set — the last at 10-all — before the Raiders took control with six straight points and 11 of the next 14 for a 21-13 bulge, which proved too much for Na Alii to overcome.
In the second set, there were 10 more ties — the last at 22-all — before King Kekaulike finished it off on kills by Nina Macphetridge and Montana DiSegna and an ‘Iolani hitting error.
The third set was all ‘Iolani, which took leads of 5-1, 12-3 and 22-10 en route to taking a 2-1 lead in the match. It was a similar ride for the Raiders in the fourth set. They went up 13-4 and went on a 12-4 run to clinch it.
OTHER STATE SCORES
DIVISION I
Mililani 3, Kamehameha-Hawaii 1
The OIA champion Trojans (14-0) advanced to tonight’s semifinals by holding off the Big Island runner-up Warriors 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17.
Unseeded Kamehameha-Hawaii (17-2), ranked No. 8 in the Star-Advertiser Top 10, fell to the consolation bracket.
Second-seeded Mililani meets ILH runner-up ‘Iolani (11-5) at 5 p.m. today at the McKinley High gym.
The fourth-ranked Trojans were led by Falanika Danielson with 15 kills and 17 digs, and Aysia Miller with 11 kills and 31 assists.
The Warriors got a match-high 24 kills from Nani Spaar, who also had 14 digs. Sierra Scanlan contributed with 43 assists.
Kahuku 3, Hilo 0
Savannah Taosoga had 17 kills and Mary Fonoimoana added 11 as the Red Raiders knocked off the fourth-seeded Vikings 25-12, 25-23, 25-19 at McKinley.
Keau Kamake‘eaina finished with 37 assists for Kahuku (14-2), which will face Kamehameha at 7 p.m. today at McKinley.
Laurie McGrath and Mahala Ka‘apuni each had six kills for Hilo (16-2).
Kamehameha 3, Moanalua 0
Keonilei Akana finished with 14 kills and Malie McClure added 10 as the top-seeded Warriors beat Na Menehune 25-16, 25-12, 25-17 at McKinley.
Lexis Akeo had 27 assists for Kamehameha (13-1).
Tayli Ikenaga recorded 12 kills for Moanalua (12-4).
DIVISION II
Waimea 3, Kaiser 1
Gabrielle Peleras had 19 kills and Raelee Samio added 12 kills and seven blocks as the Menehune toppled the fourth-seeded Cougars 25-19, 25-23, 17-25, 25-13 at St. Francis.
Leiko Yamauchi finished with 24 assists and Breanna Moises added 23 for Waimea (13-1), which will play the Sacred Hearts at 7 p.m. today at St. Francis.
Jaylynn Nihipali posted 11 kills for Kaiser (7-7).
Sacred Hearts 3, Mid-Pacific 1
Kayla Murray and Ramsaye Wakinekona both had 11 kills as the Lancers upset the top-seeded Owls 25-12, 25-19, 7-25, 25-19 at St. Francis.
Makenzie Faamausili-Cacoulidis recorded 40 assists for Sacred Hearts (11-4).
Kaehu Keala had 14 kills and Emma Porter finished with 33 assists for Mid-Pacific (13-3).
Damien 3, Kohala 0
Shelby Capllonch had 14 kills and hit .529 for the match as the Monarchs beat the third-seeded Cowgirls 25-11, 25-11, 25-19 at Kaimuki.
Capllonch did her damage on 24 swings with only one of her team’s 12 errors. She also led with 14 digs.
Del Kalulu-Sugai had 22 assists for Damien (15-2), which will play Le Jardin at 5 p.m. today at St. Francis.
Shania Fuertes finished with seven kills for Kohala (14-5).
Le Jardin 3, Seabury Hall 1
Ellie Diersbock had 25 kills as the Bulldogs defeated the second-seeded Spartans 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 25-15 at Kaimuki.
Nive Tuileta finished with 28 assists and Teia Piette had four aces for Le Jardin (13-2).
Isabel Bennett recorded 19 kills and Ella Conner added 15 for Seabury Hall (13-2).
Consolation
Leilehua def. Hawaii Prep 25-16, 20-25, 15-5
Hana def. Konawaena 27-25, 25-21
