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The pendulum has swung back to Punahou.
Lulu Uluave had 10 kills to lead a balanced attack as No. 3 Punahou swept No. 2 Kamehameha 25-16, 25-20, 25-17 to open the ILH Division I girls volleyball double-elimination tournament.
Punahou (22-8 overall), the second-place team during the regular season, will meet top seed ‘Iolani on Tuesday, while Kamehameha and Mid-Pacific meet in an elimination match.
“We struggled right after we came back from Vegas (Durango Fall Classic), but the girls are playing together. They played as a team. I think that’s what translated to what you saw this afternoon,” Punahou coach Tita Ahuna said. “It’s just coming together at the right time.”
Punahou’s depth advantage was key, particularly in the final stage of Game 2, when versatile middle Koen Makaula came up big. She finished with four kills and four blocks in the second set as the Buffanblu rallied from a 12-6 deficit to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Kamehameha lost to Punahou in a tiebreaker match for regular-season second place on Tuesday.
Haumea Marumoto tallied eight kills, including five in the final set, while Tanea Loa had seven kills and middle Grace Fiaseu added six. Makaula finished with six kills and six blocks. Rella Binney had 22 assists and Cali-Jo Shigemasa tallied 11 assists with four aces. Three of those aces came in the third set.
“We’re not done yet, so I feel like we’ve got more to work on, but I feel good about this win,” Fiaseu said. “Those (regular-season) losses we took from them really gave us the energy and power to fight back.”
Adrianna Arquette led Kamehameha (26-9 overall) with nine kills. Charlize Ching had four kills, two aces and 13 assists. Kalei Watson tallied five kills and Emma Lilo chipped in four.
Punahou closed the first set with a 12-5 run, taking advantage of three net violations.
Kamehameha had early control in set two with a 5-0 start and 12-6 lead, but Makaula came through with a roof and a kill to help the visitors surge to a 17-14 lead.
Aces by Ching helped the home team regain the lead, 18-17, but Loa and Makaula came through with blocks on Watson to give the Buffanblu a 20-18 lead.
Kills by Lilo and Arquette tied it at 20, but Punahou closed out the second with a 5-0 run. Marumoto had a roof and Makaula crushed a step-out swing. After an ace by Uluave, Makaula roofed Arquette for the 2-0 lead.
Kamehameha led the third set 11-9 before Punahou went on a 6-0 run.
Back set
No. 6 Kamehameha-Hawaii captured the Southern California Invitational on Saturday. On Friday, the Warriors swept Valley Christian (Ariz.) 25-19, 25-9; Poway (Calif.) 25-13, 25-19; and Ovedo (Fla.) 25-15, 25-18.
On Saturday, the Warriors swept Santiago 25-14, 25-21; Eastlake 26-24, 25-17; Del Lake Stevens (Wash.) 25-17, 25-13; and Lake Stevens (Wash.) 25-17, 25-13 in the title match. Maela Honma, Leisey Kelii and Taina Kaauwai were selected to the all-tournament team.
Prior to the tournament, the Warriors played some friendlies, beating Eastlake on Tuesday 23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-16; Sage Creek (Calif.) on Wednesday 25-17, 25-13, 25-19; and CIF powerhouse San Marcos on Thursday 25-18, 25-21, 22-25, 25-18.
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