St. Francis’ boys volleyball team wants to play every game like it’s the last one.

From this point forward, a loss would mark the final game in school history.

A 29-27, 25-22, 25-18 victory over University at its own gym on Tuesday night clinched the school’s second consecutive ILH Division II title. Last year’s ILH and state titles were both program firsts. As the school faces closure at the end of the school year, this year’s team has more to play for than another championship.

“As far as getting two in a row, I don’t think that matters as much as winning this one for the team, because the emotional weight of this is so much more than anything anyone could imagine,” said Makua Marumoto, who finished with 13 kills. “Every single game in states, if we don’t play the way we have to be, it’s the last game. Carrying that into each game, I think we have a lot of fight in us.”

St. Francis (14-3) certainly showed that fight against University (13-4). All three of the Saints’ defeats this season have been to the Junior ’Bows, who were on the verge on winning the first set with set points at 24, 25, 26 and 27.

“UH Lab is an awesome team and they come out blazing hot every single time we play them,” St. Francis coach Dandi Holder said. “The boys knew they had to come out here and give it their all and fight every single point.”

Sophomore Lucas Biondi set the tone for the Saints with eight kills and a block in the first set, constantly rallying the Saints back to even.

When the Saints found themselves down 17-15 in the second set, Biondi came through again with more thunderous spikes, while Marumoto gave the Saints a 2-0 advantage with another emphatic kill to close Set 2.

“Honestly, it was so fun just to be able to play with my brothers and we really came together,” Biondi said. “We’ve had some tough losses to this team, so to be able to push through was an unbelievable experience.”

The Saints were never threatened in the third set, coasting to a 25-18 victory to complete the sweep. Biondi did more damage, appropriately ending the match with his match-high 19th kill of the night.

“I think it’s really amazing that we’re able to come together like that and push through those hard times,” Biondi said. “I’m just at a loss for words.”

Isaiah Kalima-Izumi led University with six kills. Not all is lost for the Junior ’Bows, who have the second and last bid from the ILH for the eight-team HHSAA Division II tournament from May 2-4.

And for St. Francis, an opportunity to go out in the best way possible awaits.

“It would mean a lot, not only for me but for the school. For the kids. Also for those that walked before us and those who set the path for us,” Holder said. “It would definitely be great to go out with that. But it’s only something the man above can tell us, so we’ll wait to see his story.”