Punahou rallies to top Santa Margarita Catholic

Santa Margarita Catholic outside hitter Meghan McClure put a crimp in Punahou’s style Thursday, and it almost led to an Eagles upset of the Buffanblu.

But after a few adjustments by Hawaii’s defending Division I state champions, McClure’s effectiveness diminished a bit and Punahou fought back for a 21-25, 25-23, 15-13 victory in an Ann Kang Invitational Volleyball Tournament game on Thursday at ‘Iolani’s upper gym.

Had Punahou not found a way to defend McClure, it’s highly likely the outcome would have gone the other way. McClure, a 6-foot-1 junior, pounded away for 19 kills for the visitors from Southern California.

“Santa Margarita came out firing away on us,” Punahou coach Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson said. “She (McClure) was having her way out there and we needed to find a way to try to shut her down. We decided to go with two blockers on her on every play. It didn’t completely stop her, but it did slow her and it turned out to be enough.”

Fuamatu-Anderson said the defending Kang tournament champion Buffanblu played well in all aspects of the match, especially for this early in the season, and that their cohesiveness got them the victory.

Dallas Lishman led the Punahou attack with 11 kills and middle Lillie Klemmer added nine, while Mehana Ma‘a contributed seven. With 28 assists, setter Nikki Lum kept the offense in the right rhythm.

Devon Chang, the Eagles’ setter, was highly efficient as well, with 30 assists. Opposite Sarah Ciczek, with six kills, and middle Haley Carmo, with five, tried to make it hard for Punahou’s defense to focus on McClure.

“Punahou did adjust very well,” Santa Margarita coach Katy Daly said. “At times, they had a three-man block on her (McClure). She knows how to put a ball away. We have to learn that we can’t ride on her back all the time, and we have been working on creating more (offensive) options. I thought it was a pretty evenly played match and a good sword fight in the final set.”

The first set went back and forth until three kills and a block gave the Eagles some separation at 23-17. The Buffanblu got as close as 23-21 before a McClure kill and a Punahou hitting error finished it.

The Buffanblu pulled away for leads of 14-10, 19-16 an 24-20 in the second set. Three McClure kills made it 24-23 before Punahou’s Ma‘a ended it with a kill.

In the third, the score was tied seven times, and at 13-all, the Buffanblu locked up the victory on kills by Klemmer and Lishman.

Punahou’s Kaitlin Allen came in as a substitute late in the match and notched an important kill that made it 12-12.