KAPA‘A — Kapa‘a’s Mele Yama dug deep into her setter’s bag for an answer to the string of errors Saturday. “Mele’s come a long way since the season started,” said Kapa‘a head coach Kekoa Umalla following the JV Warriors’ win
KAPA‘A — Kapa‘a’s Mele Yama dug deep into her setter’s bag for an answer to the string of errors Saturday.
“Mele’s come a long way since the season started,” said Kapa‘a head coach Kekoa Umalla following the JV Warriors’ win in five games.
Tied with one win apiece, errors settled Game 3 as a Yama short set to the middle came up with a hit miscue for a 20-24 reading in Game 3. But a Waimea service error kept Kapa‘a alive only to have a Warrior hitting error seal Game 3, 25-21 for the Menehune.
Earlier in the afternoon, Kapa‘a scrambled back from a 23-25 loss to take Game 2, 25-16.
Strapped with two wins to one, the Warriors needed the services of its setter and Taryn Kaui, playing a strong outside hitting game, sealing Game 4, 25-21 with a solid kill.
Throughout the contest Kaui paced the Junior Warriors, nailing aces and hits while the Junior Menehune worked to hone the power of middle blocker/outside hitter Jazzelyn Bradbury.
Brandee Victorino, riding shotgun in the honing process, kept Waimea in the contest with a variety of hits and blocks, a pair keeping Waimea in the game, 16-21.
A Kaui kill pulled Kapa‘a to a 23-20 margin and kills from Hana Imai in the middle and Kaui from the outside gave Kapa‘a Game 4, 25-21.
Victorino kept Waimea in Game 5 with a hit down the line pulling Waimea to within a digit, 7-6, only to have a Menehune service error pull Kapa‘a up.
Yama dumped one over the middle to pull Kapa‘a up 9-8 after a Warrior hitting error tied the contest 8-8.
But a Kaui miscue up the middle ended a crowd-pleasing volley to give Waimea a 12-11 lead only to have a Menehune passing error knot the game for the third time.
A Bradbury battle in the middle between the Menehune and Imai was settled when Imai ignited the home crowd with a nice hit into the pocket for the 13-13 tie.
Yama served up an ace and a Menehune error gave the Warriors the match.
“The girls have improved a lot since the season started,” Waimea head coach Stan Lazaro said after the five-game outing. “We had a good season and the girls have learned a lot.”
Kapa‘a coach Umalla had to agree.
“The girls had good play throughout the season,” Umalla said. “Our shortest girl, Kai Zirker, had some good hits, and overall, I’m just really proud of how our girls played. They have really come a long way.”
Kapa‘a ends its JV season with a 4-4 record while Waimea slipped to 3-5.
