Waianae had a 2-0 lead and overcame a huge Campbell rally to take it 18-16 in set No. 5. CJ Caraang | SL

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_19100336_GVB_WNAE-CAMP_CJCARAANG-1505.jpg - CJ Caraang | SL

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EWA BEACH — Waianae took the first two sets but had to overcome a Campbell game-tying rally as the Seariders eventually put the Sabers away, 18-16, in set No. 5 Wednesday night in an Oahu Interscholastic Association West matchup. Set scores were 25-22, 25-21, 18-25, 22-25 and 18-16.

Waianae senior Kalei Irvine slammed down a match-high 14 kills and had a solo block in the final set to give the Seariders their final lead. Jahnay Jardine nabbed 10 kills and 11 digs while fellow senior Chevy Wagner had 25 digs. Junior Shania Kepoo-Caspino pitched in 12 kills while Gabby Canionero dished out 37 assists.

"I feel like we left it off easy, thinking it was going to be a fly by and then we were obviously proven wrong so we had to work back to get that," Waianae's Irvine said.

The score was continually tied through the first 24 points scored in set No. 5, but a Campbell hitting error following Irvine's block gave the Seariders a 14-12 lead with a chance to put the match away. But like they had down the entire match, the Sabers rallied back and capped a three-point run with a Kenna Casil ace to take a 15-14 lead.

The game was tied again at 15 and 16, but Campbell twice failed to get the ball across the net to give Waianae the 18-16 win.

"This Campbell team is no joke. Nobody comes to lose," Waianae coach Shon Kitashima said. "Maybe we took a little bit for granted. Maybe we just lost a little bit because we went up two. Sometimes that happens and all props to this Campbell team."

The Seariders had a chance to put the game away as they were holding onto a 22-18 lead near the end of the fourth set, but Campbell rallied for seven-straight points to force a deciding set.

"I noticed we were like falling apart, I grabbed them in the middle and reminded them to stick together because when we stick together we're stronger together and we fail when we play independent," Waianae libero Wagner said.

Campbell was celebrating Senior Night and honored seniors from both squads before the match started.

After Waianae scored the first point, Campbell rattled off eight straight before the Seariders settled in and responded with nine unanswered points to take a 10-8 lead. The Sabers added five consecutive points as the Seariders returned with four in a row to tie it at 14.

The set would be tied at each of the subsequent points until 18, when Waianae jumped ahead and maintained its lead to take set No. 1.

"Sometimes coming into an atmosphere like this, they just get a little jittery. So it took them a little while to find their rhythm again," Kitashima said. "Once we kind of settled down and they realized that we're okay, then we start playing our ball, and they did pretty good."

Set No. 2 was back and forth until a slew of Campbell errors fueled Waianae to break a 14-all tie by scoring 11 of the last 18 points.

"We wanted to make sure we play to a standard that let's us feel proud," Kitashima said. "Whether we lose, it doesn't matter. As long as we played as hard and gave everything we had — we understand losing to better teams and this definitely is one of those teams that could give us a really good run. We coaches always tell our girls, 'always play to what we understand is our level and if we do that — win or lose — we can walk out head high.'"

Jaysia Kalaola and Tammarah Atimalala each led the Sabers with eight kills apiece. I'seha Jones and Casil each had double-digit digs as Casil also tallied up double-digit assists along with Talia Tuitele.

Campbell closes the regular season at 6-4 and will have the West's No. 1 seed and first round bye for the six-team OIA Division II Playoffs.

Waianae finishes at 8-2 and will have the West's third seed in the 12-team OIA Division I Playoffs.