On occasion, between the usual thoughts of “One Team” and “one game at a time,” ‘Iolani volleyball players would over the years entertain the notion of winning their signature early-season tournament, the Ann Kang Invitational.
The reigning state champions crossed off another elusive achievement Saturday, as the Raiders turned back Oak Ridge (Texas) 25-18, 21-25, 15-9 for the Ann Kang trophy in the comforts of their own gym.
“It feels amazing,” senior hitter Saige Ka‘aha‘aina-Torres said after pounding a match-high 18 kills. “I’ve been a part of this team for four years. Before that they’ve never talked about winning (Ann Kang). So, being able to come here and win today was a really good feeling.”
It was ‘Iolani’s first championship in its signature nonleague tournament since it began in 1989.
The Raiders previously reached the Ann Kang title game once, in 2005, and lost to Los Alamitos (Calif.). They got back there by defeating Long Beach Poly (Calif.) in three sets in an early-afternoon semifinal Saturday.
Last year’s Star-Advertiser player of the year, Elena Oglivie, contributed 12 kills against Oak Ridge as new starting setter Kristen McDaniel fed her and Ka‘aha‘aina-Torres repeatedly near the antennas.
“Coaches always think about the next thing, but I think the girls definitely deserved it. They earned it,” Raiders coach Kainoa Obrey said. “Maybe it’s a little bit of a surprise up front coming into the tournament for us, but as the days evolved, we showed what we can do and we can play at a high level. It’s cool to see on Day 3 that we’re able to put it together.”
There was no secret to ‘Iolani’s strategy against a team it edged in three sets on Thursday. Ka‘aha‘aina-Torres pounded kills on three straight points to build a 15-11 lead. Sasha Petticord put down a rare kill from the middle to close the frame.
“They kept pounding away at the ball, which needed to happen, for sure,” Oak Ridge coach Tommie Lynne Sledge said. “They wore our defense out. We’re very strong, defensive-oriented, and they made us look not as strong.”
Oak Ridge rallied from a 6-1 hole in Set 2, rattling off seven straight points behind crafty setter Carly Graham and 6-foot-1 middle Molly Russell to claim a three-point lead. ‘Iolani, slightly rattled, tied it up at 13 but fell behind again and dropped the set.
When the Raiders claimed a 5-1 lead in the third, they made it stand up. For the penultimate point, McDaniel, a 5-foot-9 junior who studied under last year’s setter Ana Oglivie, reacted swiftly on a tight pass to the center net for a left-handed swing that caught the War Eagles flat-footed. It was a fitting play against a team whose setter had burned the Raiders with five dump-shot kills.
“I think (taking over setting for a championship team) is a little nerve-wracking, but looking to my teammates definitely it helped me gain my confidence,” said McDaniel, who had 27 assists, three blocks and three kills. “Ana, being the previous setter, she has taught me so much throughout last season. Everyone having my back, definitely it helps.”
The Raiders celebrated their first Ann Kang title a point later on an Oak Ridge hitting error.
