Leilehua earns historic OIA volleyball championship

Trinity Tatupu pounded 15 kills and four aces as Leilehua swept Kalaheo 26-24, 25-13, 25-19 for the OIA Division II girls volleyball championship on Thursday night at Moanalua gym.

Jamie Nena added 14 kills plus two blocks, and Lily Enanoria had four kills for the Mules (9-3), coached by Jeremiah Keola. Setter Maya Enanoria dished out 30 assists and added an ace.

“They wanted to get out here, they didn’t want to make any mistakes. Just get out here and do the best they can,” said Keola, who previously coached the boys team at Leilehua. “Once they got the jitters out, they woke up. Props out to Kalaheo. They fought a good fight.”

Kalaheo got eight kills from hard-hitting Jazzahlei Satele and six kills with an ace from Faith Fujiwara. Maile Seeger tallied three kills, Madison Millard had two kills and three blocks, and setter Shae Hazzard dished out 16 assists.

“Our youth definitely showed,” Lady Mustangs coach Ed Chun said. “We’re learning how to bounce back from adversity. Leilehua is athletic. They stayed in control of what they could control, and passed well.”

Passing was crucial for Leilehua against a taller Kalaheo squad.

“Our passing was good. Nothing was bad. Nothing was horrible,” setter Maya Enanoria said.

This is reportedly the first OIA girls volleyball title for Leilehua in school history. The league began playing girls volleyball in 1971.

Leilehua (9-3) was 7-3 in the OIA West, losing only to D-I powerhouses Kapolei, Mililani and Waianae.

The opening set was tight, though the Mules had a 14-9 lead at one point. Kalaheo fought back and led 22-21 with some errors by Leilehua. However, Tatupu came through with a kill and Pricilla Machuca clutched up with a block for the final point of the first game.

From there, the Mules took command. They led set two 13-4 and Kalaheo got no closer than a six-point margin. Nena was spectacular with eight kills in the second game.

The Mules had a 12-2 lead in the third set, but Kalaheo scrapped its way back within four points after kills by Seeger and Millard. From there, Tatupu and her teammates were too consistent from the left, middle and right side. The junior also had two of her four aces in the final set.

Both teams, plus Radford, will represent the OIA in the Division II bracket of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships, which begin Monday.