Moanalua sweeps Kalani to earn early bye in OIA volleyball playoffs

There was no answer for Malu Garcia.

The 6-foot-1 junior delivered 18 kills and six aces as No. 5-ranked Moanalua overcame No. 10 Kalani 25-17, 25-21, 25-21 on Wednesday night.

Moanalua closed the OIA East regular season at 9-1 (28-7-1 overall) and clinched one of the top two playoff spots, earning a first-round bye.

“Coach Alan (Cabanting) has been a really great coach. We have a lot of new girls this year and he’s been on us at practices, making sure we hit our spots, where we have to be in our positions,” Garcia said. “When it comes to games like this with big crowds, our girls are comfortable on the court, they do what they have to do and we play our game.”

A spirited Falcons senior-night crowd at Earl Holmer Gymnasium saw Garcia take command with five kills and five aces in the opening set. The lanky left-hander came up big on a night when starters Leilani Giusta and Natalie Fukumoto were sidelined by ankle injuries.

Junior outside hitter Anya Gant stepped up with 11 kills.

“Everyone’s stepping up, doing their job and making it easier for everyone,” Gant said. “We barely had any service errors this game.”

Moanalua’s serve and block tilted the scales. Sadie Aiana had five blocks with two kills, and Hokulani Perez added two blocks and two kills. Jerney Tang-Silva tallied six kills and one block as Na Menehune owned a 9-1 edge in total blocks.

Garcia had three hitting errors in the second set, but was otherwise masterful and finished with a .342 hitting percentage. Haylee DePonte dished 22 assists and Jayde Taamu Perifanos had 16.

Kalani had a chance to finish second with a win, but finished fourth behind Kahuku, Moanalua and Farrington.

Senior outside hitter Raymie Lum led with 16 kills (.361). Junior Haylee Lyons tallied 12 kills and one block, and junior Ayre Takamoto had 27 assists.

“Moanalua kind of did serve us off the court. We didn’t take care of little things like our serves,” Kalani coach Janeen Waialae said. “Just our discipline play. That’s one of our strengths, and when we’re not playing disciplined ball, we struggle a little more. It’s a positive in that we’re in control of it. It’s a challenge because it’s the little things we have to take care of.”

The opening set was even at 10 when Moanalua went on an 11-3 run. Garcia’s jump serve produced three points during the run, and Perez added two roofs.

“We definitely could have adjusted. I was trying to tell them to stay deep,” Waialae said of Garcia’s serve. “But I think the adrenaline of the game makes it a little difficult in these scenarios. They played hard. They wanted it. We just fell short.”

Momentum remained with Na Menehune in set two. The visitors opened a 17-11 lead before Kalani rallied to within 22-20. A roof by Garcia plus service and hitting errors by the Lady Falcons ended the game.

Kalani bounced back with a 7-3 run to open the third set. A kill by Tang-Silva gave Moanalua the lead for good at 20-19. Garcia had three more kills down the stretch as Na Menehune completed the sweep.

The current fall break has been an opportunity.

“We practice two times a day, in the morning and at night,” Garcia said.

After the match, with posters and photos adorning the gym walls and bleachers, Kalani celebrated senior night.

“They do get excited about senior night. I, on the other hand, don’t like speeches so it’s not my favorite night,” said Waialae.