WAIMEA – The Waimea Menehune Girl’s jayvee team edged the Kaua’i Red Raiders 15-12, 15-12 Wednesday night in the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation opener at Clem Gomes gymnasium. Although the Menehunes won it in two games, it wasn’t easy to stave
WAIMEA – The Waimea Menehune Girl’s jayvee team edged the Kaua’i Red Raiders 15-12, 15-12 Wednesday night in the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation opener at Clem Gomes gymnasium.
Although the Menehunes won it in two games, it wasn’t easy to stave off the Raiders, who battled back from an early deficit to take a 5-4 lead on two consecutive Avian Nakaya aces.
A second pair of aces, this time from Raider Rosalyn Rapozo, maintained Kaua’i’s lead, but the Menehunes gained momentum late in the first game.
The Raiders struggled to return six straight Sonya Tacub serves as the Menehunes piled on a 12-9 lead. Waimea maintained the rest of the way. Kacey Barcelona, with a perfect assist from Tori Kagawa, buried the final kill to seal the first game 15-12.
The Menehunes continued to roll in game two.
Aces from Mallorie Hepa, Kagawa and Tacub gave Waimea commanding 6-1 advantage. The Raiders would rally.
Kills from Zellie Kunishige and Erin Fabro, along with two Trisha Niau aces, deadlocked the score at 8-apiece midway through the second game. Waimea would again build a lead but the Raiders refused to go away. Leilani Alayvilla’s kill, assisted by Nakaya, gave Kaua’i a 12-11 lead.
The Menehunes made certain the lead was short-lived.
A kill from Taira Kajiwara and a Kerri-anne Iwai block eventually overcame the Red Raiders and sealed a 15-12 win for the Menehunes, who walked away from Clem Gomes with the first KIF win of the new season.
