The Monarchs celebrate a block over Le Jardin in the second set in an ILH Division II contest at Charles B. Wang Gymnasium Tuesday night. CJ Caraang | SL

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_18100305_GVB_DMS-LJA_CJCARAANG-0883.jpg - CJ Caraang | SL

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KAILUA — Everyone has heard of the old saying: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

For the past two years, the Le Jardin Bulldogs have reigned supreme in the Division II girls volleyball ranks.

But the Damien Monarchs have no plans to let a dynasty take place.

No. 7 Damien pulled away for a game one win and rallied to win a thrilling set two to best No. 10 Le Jardin Tuesday night in a battle of ILH Division II unbeatens at Charles B. Wang Gymnasium. Set scores were 25-15, 29-27.

The Monarchs, who trailed by as many as five points in game two, also locked up a state berth into the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division II tournament as they won the league's first round title.

"Honestly we're fighters, I love this team so much," said senior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch. "We just don't give up, we don't like losing."

Capllonch, who gave a verbal commitment to play for UNLV, spearheaded the Monarchs' comeback with 11 of her match-high 16 kills in the second set. She finished with a .560 hitting percentage and had just two hitting errors on 24 swings.

Kaira Wengler and Ilana Sagapolutele added four kills and Cecilia Fenton had three more. Setters Kaulana Kalulu-Sugai and Elsa Radovan also combined for 29 assists and five kills - including the final two of the match - to round out the top contributors for the Monarchs (11-0).

Le Jardin (10-1) was led by Nive Tuileta, who had a solid all-around match with nine kills, 11 assists, two aces and a block.

The Bulldogs were celebrating senior night, but the fans in the building was more of a neutral crowd. Capllonch, who added 11 digs, added that this was the first match that Damien's cheerleaders traveled to support the team.

"It helped because when you look at the stands it was all Damien," she said.

Damien was also battle tested on the road, sweeping Saint Francis and Hawaii Baptist on their respective senior nights within the past seven days. The Monarchs also went into extra points in their last set against the Eagles, winning 25-14, 30-28.

Fourth-year Damien coach Don Faumuina said he reminded his girls of this fact when they were down in the second set.

"It looked ugly for a long bit. It came to a point where at some point, I just stopped coaching and encouraged them and started inspiring them," he said.

"I told them 'don't stop here because it's their senior night. Let's keep going and start a tradition here at Damien.'"

Le Jardin had eight hitting errors in set one, but cleaned it up in the second frame and pulled away to take leads of 15-10, 16-11, 20-15 and 21-16.

Back-to-back kills by both Sagopultele and Capllonch ignited a 5-0 run to tie the match at 21 before Le Jardin got kills from Ellie Diersbock and Halle Hetzler to go back up 23-21.

Capllonch delivered a kill from the back row to regain the serve, but Diersbock fired back with an attack that went off the block to make it 24-22. Capllonch then got two straight kills to tie it at 24.

The two teams traded points until Damien took a 28-27 lead off a well-placed dump by Radovan. Kalulu-Sugai sealed the deal one play later with an attack off the block to win the match.