Top-ranked Punahou efficient in sweep of sixth-ranked ‘Iolani

This big blue machine is humming.

Top-ranked Punahou was all about efficiency on Tuesday night, committing just four hitting errors in a 25-14, 25-15 sweep of No. 6 ‘Iolani at the Raiders’ gym.

Carly Kan and Tai Manu-Olevao were steady from the start and finished with eight kills apiece for Punahou, now 6-0 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

"It’s just like another one. Every game’s the same," said Kan, a 5-foot-9 junior. "We’re just working hard every day. We do our best."

Kan didn’t have a single hitting error and hit at a .571 clip. Manu-Olevao, a 6-foot senior heading to the University of Hawaii, hit .538. As a team, the Buffanblu hit .407 and had four aces.

Three of those aces came from setter Tayler Higgins during an opening-set run. Higgins, who also had 20 assists and a kill, directed her three aces in a row as Punahou opened a 12-8 lead to a nine-point cushion.

"You’ve got to watch the spin of the ball when she tosses it," ‘Iolani coach Jenic Tumaneng said of Higgins’ version of a cutter. "It’s not something you see all the time."

‘Iolani had seven hitting errors against Punahou’s persistent block (Claire Feeney and Brittney Markwith) in the first game, but had just one in the second. The Raiders got within 10-9 after kills by Loxley Keala and Sara Watanabe, and an ace by Lauren Uhr.

Coach Peter Balding’s Buffanblu went on a 9-3 run with kills by Manu-Olevao and Feeley.

After Markwith blocked Haley Robinson, the visitors led 19-12. ‘Iolani got no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Feeley had three of her five kills in the second set, and Markwith added four kills in all.

Watanabe paced ‘Iolani (2-3) with four kills. The Raiders hit .143 for the match.

"It was just not our night. They’re loaded with a lot of girls who play together quite a bit, and that’s a big advantage," Tumaneng said. "They’re in postseason form. They touch a lot of balls, not necessarily blocks for points, but run down the ball. They’re scoring a lot of points on their transition."

The Raiders still have the opportunity to seize one of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu’s two state-tournament berths.

"We’re going to stick together and work hard. This league is so tough, you want to take care of yourself," Tumaneng said.

Punahou will visit rival Kamehameha on Friday with a first-round title and automatic state berth possibly at stake.

"It’s going to be exciting," Kan said.