Kamehameha stops Punahou’s rally

After its big lead diminished in the third set, Kamehameha needed to match its opponent’s intensity.

Braelyn Akana had three of her nine kills during a key run midway through Set 3 to help No. 2 Kamehameha hold off No. 5 Punahou 25-21, 21-25, 25-18 in an ILH match on Saturday at Kekuhaupio Gym.

Kayla Afoa had 10 kills and Kili Robins added nine for Kamehameha (8-0). Lexis Akeo had 30 assists in the win.

“It’s mostly our energy and our communication,” Robins said. “Those are our bigger things. It’s coming together and realizing we need to separate from them. We need to match their energy and their power and their hunger for this game. We tried to rise up and be hungry for it, too.”

Paige Hilliard had 13 kills and Aria McComber had 11 kills and four aces for Punahou (4-4). Saturday’s result was very different from their last meeting, which Kamehameha won 25-16, 25-20.

“We made some adjustments,” said Punahou setter Hina Puaa, who finished with 35 assists and two blocks. “We started working out more and our mental game is way more into it.”

The Warriors started Set 3 with a 9-3 lead, but the Buffanblu rallied to tie the set at 11-11. McComber had five kills during Punahou’s rally.

“They really brought it today,” Robins said, “We need to play our game in the third set.”

Kamehameha then pulled away, using a 5-0 run to lead 18-12. Two more kills from Akana extended the lead to 20-14.

“Our energy just dropped,” Puaa said. “We split a little. We need to work on communicating more, talking to each other and closing it up.”

Added Robins: “We started to focus on individually but as a team — individually in doing your job and just trying to give them a pass and Lexis can set and then trying to execute the hits. And being ready for whatever ball comes back over.”

Sandra Zeng helped Punahou rally to take Set 2. She had a block and a kill during a 3-0 run that put the Buffanblu ahead 23-20. Afoa followed with a kill, but Hilliard responded with a tip shot to end a long rally and Zeng’s kill ended the set. Zeng finished the match with eight kills.

Kamehameha closed out Set 1 on a 5-0 run, helped by two Punahou hitting errors, a net violation and a lift. Tymane Talanoa and Akana blocked Punahou to end the set.

The Warriors finished 12th at last weekend’s Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas. Saturday’s match was their third since returning from the national tournament that included Kahuku (eighth) and Hawaii Baptist (42nd).

“The team bonding, we really brought together our plays and our players together,” Robins said.