Sophomore Michelyn Pilila’au pounded 13 kills and had three blocks as Kapolei swept Kamehameha-Hawaii 25-23, 25-18, 25-20 on Wednesday night in the opening round of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships at Moanalua.
Pilila’au, a high-leaping 5-foot-9 middle, was the stabilizer for Kapolei (11-4). KS-Hawaii (13-7), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up, contested the Hurricanes on either side, but Pilila’au had six kills in the first set to help the ‘Canes eke out a win. She had three kills and two blocks in the second game, helping Kapolei break open an 8-all score with a 15-3 run.
Kapolei, the fifth-place team from the Oahu Interscholastic Association, got a solid game from another middle, Kaile Tuisamatatele. The 5-11 junior had five kills, two aces and two blocks.
"Our middles are good. Our outside hitters took awhile to get going," Kapolei coach Naidah Gamurot said. "I feel good. You’ve got to break the ice on this first game. I hope they were getting the kinks out. I wanted them to play faster."
Kapolei will get plenty of speed and explosion Thursday against second-seeded Moanalua, which will host the quarterfinal match at 7 p.m.
"I think it’s exciting. We didn’t get a chance to play them this year (during the OIA regular season and playoffs)," Gamurot said of the league champs. "Last year, it was exciting and fast. Both teams were full-on going for everything."
Kapolei got eight kills and two aces from senior outside hitter Seleni Bartley, and eight kills plus one block from junior Jayleen Abregana. Opposite Anela Lee-Pakaki, a 5-9 sophomore, added five kills. Setter Olivia Transfiguration, a freshman, dished 28 assists.
Junior Kailee Yoshimura led KS-Hawaii with nine kills. Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker, a 6-foot senior, had six kills, 12 assists, two blocks and an ace. Cassandra Fonseca chipped in five kills and sophomore Summer Ah Choy tallied 11 assists. Kiani Troy had two of her team’s three aces.
Kapolei finished with 11 aces, as well as a number of tough serves that led to overpasses and easy kills for Pilila’au and Tuisamatatele at the net.
Warriors coach Sam Thomas’ roster has just four seniors, but he expected more.
"I’m disappointed. I thought we’d put up a better show. We got to see Kapolei on TV and they’re quicker than what we saw," he said. "They kept bringing the ball up, and they’re a lot bigger than we are. That hurt us."
KS-Hawaii never gave in. Trailing 14-8 in the first set, they got within 15-14 before falling.
In the second set, they trailed 23-11 before scoring seven points in a row.
Trailing 17-10 in the third set, the Warriors battled back and were within 23-20 after an ace by Troy before losing.
"They had a consistent, good serve. They placed it well and they hit the ball through our block," Gamurot said. "That’s something I’m going to have to look at. They never gave up and they kept coming at us."
Kapolei hit .233 and KS-Hawaii hit .213. The Warriors outblocked the ‘Canes 7-6, but Kapolei won the battle for aces, 11-3.
Kamehameha 3, Mililani 0
Kili Robins had eight kills, Kayla Afoa seven and Lexis Akeo put up 17 assists as runner-up Kamehameha won its opening match, sweeping Mililani 25-9, 25-13, 25-12.
Kahea Ae’a, Starr Sergent and Katie Asbery had four kills apiece for Mililani (11-3), the fourth-place team from the OIA. Cierra Leopoldino and Franchesca Johnson added 10 assists for Kamehameha (14-5), which used 15 players.
The Warriors will meet Maui Interscholastic League champion King Kekaulike, the third seed, at Moanalua gym, today at 5 p.m.
