Na Menehune of Moanalua thrive on big challenges.
Facing the tall, athletic Kapolei Hurricanes, No. 5 Moanalua kept attacking and swept the visitors 25-18, 25-22, 25-19 on Monday night in the semifinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I playoffs.
Moanalua (12-0) will host Mililani on Wednesday night in the final. Senior Tradie DeBina-Bautista paced the home team with 16 kills and junior Tayli Ikenaga tallied 13 kills for Moanalua. Senior setter Alliyah Allagonez dished out 24 assists and three key aces, and junior middle Madison Williams had four blocks to go with three kills.
“We were concerned with their athleticism taking over. We didn’t want them to get in any type of rhythm in terms of their hitting, whether it was our blocking or serving,” Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting said. “We served tough today. We hit the right spots and forced them to try tougher shots. Our libero, Sonny (Rodrigues), did a really good job when No. 14 went outside of our block, to be able to dig the ball and force her to go sharper and sharper on the attack.”
>> Photo Gallery: OIA volleyball semifinals
Kapolei (9-2), the second-place team from the West, got eight kills from junior Kawehi Marinas and seven from sophomore Toodie Sopi. Senior Angel Nahinu chipped in six kills and junior setter Alexis Kepa had 26 assists.
“We have to string together good plays for more than three to five points. We know it’s there,” Kapolei coach Naidah Gamurot said. “We knew how to maneuver, but our passing was too tentative, up and down. We’re usually more consistent.”
Moanalua led throughout the opening set, inching ahead to an 11-7 lead after a kill by Ikenaga. Kapolei got within 12-10 on a kill by Marinas, but Na Menehune went on an 8-3 run behind kills from DeBina-Bautista and Ikenaga.
Kapolei found its footing in the second set and led for the first time, 16-14, on a dump shot by the setter, Kepa. The ’Canes opened the lead to 20-17 on a roll shot by Marinas and a second rotation violation by the home team. Allagonez, who had taken a break, returned to the game and her team rallied with her at serve. Her ace tied the set at 19, and after a hitting error by Kapolei, Moanalua took the lead for good. They closed the second game out with two more kills by DeBina-Bautista to cap an 8-2 run.
Kapolei stubbornly stayed close in Game 3, getting within 9-8 on an ace by Oriana Levasa. Moanalua responded with an 11-4 run. Williams was instrumental with three of her four blocks during the third set.
Mililani 3, Kahuku 1
Falanika Danielson crushed 21 kills, including the last five of the match, as the Lady Trojans (11-0) advanced to the OIA D-I final by defeating the Red Raiders 25-22, 25-17, 16-25, 25-23. Danielson also had two aces.
“Definitely, we wanted to maintain our play. What got to us was the amount we were ahead by. We needed to stay on top of our game and we let it go,” Danielson said. “In the huddle we mainly focused on working as a team, staying positive and sticking with what we know.”
Middle Emma Berry added seven kills, sophomore Jaelyn Tang tallied five kills and three aces, and senior setter Aysia Miller delivered 34 assists with four kills.
Senior Savannah Taosoga led Kahuku (9-2) with 18 kills. Sophomore Emma Mapu added nine kills and three blocks, and junior Mela Liua had seven kills and two aces.
Kahuku led the fourth set 20-14 before Mililani rallied with an 11-3 run. Berry was clutch with three kills during the rally.
