Kamehameha edges Kahuku in four-set thriller

Kamehameha's Pomai Recca puts down one of her match-high 15 kills against Kahuku. Peter Caldwell | SL

Kamehameha got everything it wanted and more from second-seed Kahuku in a four-set thriller, outlasting the Red Raiders, 25-20, 20-25, 25-22, 26-24, to set up a showdown with ILH nemesis Punahou in the title match of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division I Girls Volleyball Championships.

"Everybody stepped up and did a lot of great things for us." said Kamehameha head coach Chris Blake. "Kahuku's a great team, very well coached, very athletic, and they forced us into a lot of tough positions. So I'm very, very proud of our girls and the adjustments our coaching staff did to make this win happen."

Like two boxers in a prizefight, the Warriors and Red Raiders traded blows over the first two sets, with Kamehameha claiming game one, 25-20, and Kahuku taking the second set by the same score.

Kamehameha won the third game, 25-22, never trailed in the set, but managed to hold Kahuku at bay by only the slimmest of margins.

"Kahuku was a very, very, very good volleyball team. They made it very hard for us to score some points, and it was fun and exciting match to play."

A heart-stopping set four featured twelve ties and three lead changes, with both teams intent on coming out on top.

Back-to-back aces by Ashley Mataele gave Kahuku a 19-16 lead, the largest margin in the set, but coming out of the timeout, Kamehameha got a pair of kills by Pikake Laumana and another by Tiyana Hallums, then a huge block by Laumana to knot the score at 20-all.

Then with the score tied at 24 points a piece, an Alohi Robins-Hardy spike pushed the Warriors into the lead, and on the ensuing point, a Kahuku kill attempt would sail wide at match point to end it.

"I thought that overall as a team we played very, very well." remarked Pomai Recca, who led all hitters with 15 kills on the night and added 4 blocks for good measure. "We played for each other, we played with heart."

The Warriors got 11 kills from Laumana and 10 more from Alohi Robins-Hardy. Kealani Brown added 3 blocks, and Hallums 14 digs.

Kamehameha and Punahou will take the court for the fifth time this season Friday, in what will also be a rematch of last year's Division I final.

"They're (Punahou) the top team in the state and we're going to have to play a little bit better than we did tonight in order to make sure we're able to compete," said Blake, "but we've already played them a bunch of times this year... we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Talia Brown put down 11 kills and Adora Anae 10 for Kahuku, and Penina Snuka added 9 kills and 3 aces in the loss.

We're going to bring it, and do our best and hope for the best.

Reach Brien Ing at [email protected].