Balanced attack helps Punahou topple Kamehameha, win league crown

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Punahou shook off an opening set loss to post a 21-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-19 win over Kamehameha to claim the ILH Division I crown and earn a seeded berth to the upcoming HHSAA Division I Girls Volleyball Tournament.

Balance was the key for the Buffanblu offensively, as four different Punahou attackers notched at least 9 kills, with Lucky-Rose Williams leading the way with 14 kills. Grace Fiaseu added 12 kills, and Lulu Uluave 11 more, with Belle Iosua coming just one kill short of double figures with nine.

Jaclyn Matias orchestrated the attack to the tune of 44 assists. She also added three kills and a solo block for good measure.

An eight day break likely factored in to the slow start for the Buffanblu, who fell behind 3-0 in the early going before briefly leading at 7-6. From there the Warriors never relinquished the lead in the first, leading by as many as six points at 24-18 before Adrianna Arquette finished off the opening set with a kill at 25-21.

Set two was a markedly different Punahou squad, taking an early 3-0 lead on a pair of Iosua aces and building the margin to as large as 7-1 on a Matias attack. The margin eventually ballooned to double digits at 20-10 and the Warriors could only rally to within eight points before Iosua ended the second set with a solo block at 25-16.

A pivotal set three saw the score tied on 15 different occasions, with the largest margin just three points at any point in the set. Ultimately an Iosua kill gave the Bufflanblu a shot at set point and they capitalized, as Uluave put down the point to give the home team a two sets to one advantage.

Set number four looked to be heading in the Warriors' favor, as the visitors jumped out to a 6-2 lead on a block by Moana Peaua and Tia Kapihe. But Punahou rallied in a big way, stringing together seven straight points capped off by an Uluave kill to take an 8-6 lead.

Devin Kahahawai tied the score at 14-all with kill number 19 on the night, but the Warriors never got any closer, and Punahou closed on the game with Melie Vaioleti at the service line, where her tough serving yielded three points including the game ending point, as a Kamehameha player crossed over the net on serve.

Kamehameha outblocked Punahou 17 to 15, but the Buffanblu held the ace advantage 7-3.

Kahahawai led all hitters with 19 kills and added three blocks and an ace for the Warriors, who will also represent the ILH in the Division I tourney.