Adjustments when needed. Momentum when it counted.

It added up to Kaiser coming back from an 0-2 deficit to stun top-seeded Kalaheo on Thursday in the Oahu Interscholastic Association boys volleyball tournament at McKinley High’s Student Council Gym.

Behind the arm of senior hitter Casey Bolda (27 kills), the tough serving of senior setter Riker Kasamoto and the solid defense anchored by senior libero Mason Ohta, the Cougars avenged their only loss of the season when outlasting the Mustangs 27-29, 19-25, 25-18, 26-24, 15-10.

Kalaheo (13-1) will face Moanalua (12-4) on Tuesday in the losers bracket final of the double-elimination tournament. The loser earns the OIA’s No. 3 berth, while the winner moves on to Thursday’s championship match against Kaiser.

Earlier Thursday, Na Menehune swept the host Tigers 25-22, 25-13. McKinley (12-4) earns the OIA’s fourth seed.

"We’re where we wanted to be," Cougars coach Jon Stanley said. "And we did it without one of our leaders (senior middle Joe Hoddick, who sprained his left ankle toward the end of Set 3).

"Sometimes when something like that happens, the other team exhales, breathes a little easier. But you know what they say about a wounded animal."

Kaiser could have easily folded after the way it lost Set 1. The Cougars led 24-20 only to have the Mustangs, behind the serving of junior libero Sheldon Dolan, tie it at 24.

Kaiser had set points at 25-24 and 26-25, but Kalahelo answered both. The Mustangs had two swings at ending it, the last set up by a block by Silila Tucker and Luke Owens.

Sophomore hitter Kupa‘a Harrison put down one of his team-high 16 kills to finish the rally.

Kalaheo was poised to win it in four, taking a 24-22 lead. Kaiser went on a 4-0 run, tying the set for the 15th time at 24-24 on a Mustangs hitting error, then getting kills from Bolda and senior middle Billy McGivern.

Leading 8-7 in Set 5, the Cougars began to pull away. Two kills by Bolda helped his team to a 12-8 cushion, and the Mustangs never got closer than 13-10. Kills by junior middles Christian Sele and Makena Kaneaiakala finished the upset for Kaiser.

Bolda added four blocks and two aces. Sele had 12 kills, Kanaeaiakala 11 and McGivern was in on seven of the team’s 23 blocks.

Senior middle Sam Orcutt added 11 kills and four blocks for the Mustangs, and Owens was in on six of Kalaheo’s 23 blocks.

"It was a really good match," Kalaheo coach Ed Chun said. "They had the momentum at the end and made the adjustments.

"We don’t focus on records but we’re going to have to do it the hard way (to win the OIA title). What we want to do is play our best at the end."

Moanalua 2, McKinley 0

Senior hitter Tahi Caldwell put down 10 kills, and freshman opposite Austin Matautia added eight kills to lead Na Menehune. Junior libero Austin Amian finished with three aces.

Senior middle Jerry Wu led the Tigers with 12 kills.

"We’re just playing it one game at a time," Moanalua coach Alan Cabantang said. "I thought we played with intensity and a sense of urgency (after Set 1).

"We’ve lost to the top four teams (in the OIA) and now that’s who is left for us to win the title. If we play like we can, we can beat anyone."

Leilehua 2, Roosevelt 0

The Mules grabbed the league’s final state berth with a 25-20, 25-19 sweep of the Rough Riders in the fifth-place game.