The Kaiser Cougars didn’t take notice before arriving in Kalihi, but Trinity Alualu made sure they’ll remember her next time.

Alualu overcame a slow start to drill three consecutive aces late in the opening set as Farrington swept Kaiser 25-21, 25-21 in the regular-season opener for both teams on Thursday night.

A boisterous crowd at Farrington’s Richard Kitamura Memorial Fieldhouse saw the Lady Governors take command with an advantage at serve. Farrington had six aces in the first set — three by Alualu and three by setter Jessica Vele — with just two service errors. Kaiser had three first-set aces, including two by sophomore Karley DeMello, but committed six service errors.

"We weren’t really sure what they had, but they look really good," Kaiser coach Ernest Noborikawa said. "Our girls are still getting used to each other. They’re coming together and starting to trust each other."

The first game was tied at 15 when Kaiser committed three service errors that helped the home team surge to a 23-19 lead. An ace by DeMello brought the visitors within 23-21, but another service error snuffed out the momentum.

Vele ended the set with her third ace.

"Those service errors hurt us," Noborikawa said.

Kaiser led 8-5 in the second set, getting a block from Micaela Bitanga on Alualu. The Govs then went on a 5-0 run, with a block by Vele along the way. Blocks by Aislyn Laloulu and Penina Faumui sparked another Govs run, and after an ace by Laloulu and a roof by Alualu, Farrington had a 19-12 edge.

Kaiser chipped away and got within 23-20 after a kill by Annika Rigterink, a 6-foot-1 senior. But Faumui won a joust at the net and Savannah Kahakai put the match away with a torpedo shot from the left side.

"This was a big one. We’ve had a couple of rough years," Farrington coach Reagan Agena said. "Our newer additions and our returnees are bonding together."

Among the new Govs is Kahakai, a junior who transferred from Maryknoll. She finished with six kills, while Alualu had a team-high seven kills with one block.

Vele, who started on the Govs’ blue-division team last year, tallied 19 assists, a block and a kill.

"She did a great job. She put her time in and has been working really hard," Agena said, recalling offseason training that began in June.

"Jessica came out a lot during summer and she worked hard for her spot," Alualu added.

DeMello and Rigterink had five kills each to lead Kaiser. Setter Makena Kaaialii had 16 assists, and Bitanga finished with two blocks.

Kaiser hit .175 and finished with three aces to go with eight service errors. Farrington hit .200 and finished with seven aces and six service errors.

As with basketball, volleyball coaches have had expanded time to train student-athletes this year, and Farrington took advantage of the golden opportunity. Two to three times per week, a number of Govs showed up to work, ranging from five to 15 players.

"We did a lot of training, a lot of reinforcement of what we do as soon as we could," Agena said.

"It was really good physically because I got to train with my school and my club (Oahu Volleyball Club). It helped us mentally and physically," Alualu said.