Rodriguez helps ninth-ranked Trojans overcome slow start in quarterfinal win over Falcons

Greg Yamamoto | SL

MILILANI — Alexis Rodriguez recorded a season-high 25 kills and No. 9 Mililani rallied to a four-set win over Kalani in the quarterfinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I girls volleyball tournament Thursday night.

The set scores were 23-25, 25-21, 25-17 and 25-21.

The Trojans improved to 10-1 and will face fellow Western Division-foe Kapolei in Monday's semifinal round. First serve for that match is expected around 7:30 p.m. at Moanalua.

The Falcons were seeded fourth out of the Eastern Division and were coming off of a four-set win over West fifth-seed Radford in Wednesday's first round. They had won three of their previous matches entering Thursday, but fell to 8-4 with the defeat.

Rodriguez, a 5-foot-10 junior outside hitter, took 49 total swings and had only three attack errors, good for a gaudy .449 hitting percentage. Rodriguez also tallied 12 digs and a couple of assists; She accounted for three of her team's five total blocks and five of its seven service aces.

Erica Roberts posted 19 kills, while setter Anae Asuncion managed 48 assists, 15 digs and four kills. Paige Paaluhi tallied 12 digs, four kills and a block and Anna Takushi chipped in with a dozen digs and two assists for the Trojans, who secured one of the OIA's sixth berths into this month's New City Nissan/HHSAA State Championships with the win.

Haylee Lyons racked up 22 kills and Raymie Lum added 15 kills and 16 digs for the Falcons. Setter Ayre Takamoto dished out 35 assists to go with 15 digs, three kills and three total blocks in the loss.

Kalani hit .153 for the match, while Mililani hit at a .279 clip.

The Trojans had a bye in Wednesday's first round.

The Falcons will play No. 8 Moanalua in a consolation semifinal Monday at Farrington's Richard Kitamura Gymnasium.