Kamehameha's Matthew Saffery puts up a set against Waipahu. Saffery recorded 27 assists in a four set win over Waipahu. Steve Erler | SL

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Kamehameha kept a feisty Waipahu team at bay in four sets Tuesday night to advance into the quarterfinals of the New City Nissan/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I Boys Volleyball Championships.

The Warriors defeated the Marauders, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18 and 25-22 before a crowd of 500 at Kalani's gymnasium and will meet their Hawaii Island counterpart Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

"Waipahu is a good team," said Kamehameha first-year coach Randy Nako. "They got arms at certain places, they good defense, they're a solid team. We dint play well but luckily we played good enough to win."

Naone Passi had a double-double of 17 kills and 10 digs to lead the Warriors in a rematch of last year's opening round game. Nainoa Barlan-Garcia had 14 more kills to round out Kamehameha's hitters with double digit kills.

Kobe Young had six kills and five blocks, Kahikimai Aliifua added five kills and two blocks and Kaioluhia Kalani chipped in four more kills. Setters Matthew Safferey and Elijah Hew Len combined for 40 assists in the win.

"I think our offense is really diverse in the fact that we have multiple hitters that can come in and do what they need to do when it's time," said Passi.

Kamehameha was able to jump out to an early 5-1 lead in the opening set and forced a Waipahu timeout when the score was 9-3. The Marauders scored the next three points before the Warriors sided out on a Barlan-Garcia kill.

The Warriors led by as many as nine in the first game, 16-7 and was able to stave off a late Waipahu rally to take the set one, 25-20.

"We had a late start," said Waipahu coach Julna Pasicaran. "That's the typical Waipahu, they always have a late start. I keep telling the boys, you got to do all your warmup before the game so we can start from the get go."

But the Marauders fought back and was able to grind out a close win in set two, 25-22 to knot the games at one each. Waipahu's Jeminae Solomua put down seven of his match-high 18 kills to spearhead the Marauders' attack.

The two teams traded points in the third set until Kamehameha pulled away with a three straight points to go up 18-13. With Passi coming up with key kills and Waipahu's attacks going out of bounds, Kamehameha was able to take a 21-14 lead to put Waipahu on the ropes. The Warriors eventually ended it to win game three, 25-18.

The fourth set was similar to the second set, but Kamehameha was able to redeem itself with clutch plays to advance to the quarterfinals.

"We definitely wanted to end it already," said Passi. "It was more of a self-pride thing for us. We needed to play our game, and stop playing to their level kind of thing."

Nako is hoping that the opening round win will help his team come out firing against KS-Hawaii.

"Personally I want to play in the first round. I don't want to get the bye," he said. "Now we got this match out of the way. We didn't play all that great, so next time, tomorrow night we should be better."

For Pasicaran, this year's season was a sign that her program is moving in the right direction. The Marauders were swept decisively by Kamehameha last season.

"This was a big improvement," she said. "We got more heart his year and they're playing more defense. Just got to keep pushing and practicing more."