Kaua‘i 3, Kapa‘a 2 – KAPA‘A — The Kaua‘i High School girls volleyball team came dangerously close to being sent home early last night by the Kapa‘a Lady Warriors after going down the first two sets 25-21 and 25-20. But
Kaua‘i 3, Kapa‘a 2 – KAPA‘A — The Kaua‘i High School girls volleyball team came dangerously close to being sent home early last night by the Kapa‘a Lady Warriors after going down the first two sets 25-21 and 25-20. But the Raiders (4-2 Round 2, 10-2 Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation) rallied to win the next three consecutive sets 25-20, 25-21 and 15-7, and the match, to finish off the season on a positive note.
They had just recently come off a loss on Wednesday.
Already in the KIF championship playoffs, the Red Raiders needed this win to set the tone in preparation for Round 2 champs Waimea High School.
The first two sets were ruled by the Kapa‘a defense.
They prevented Kaua‘i from having any kind of offense by posting up a sturdy front line. Altogether, Jondi Das, Tori Tuttle, Kyah Schneider, Leihua McCabe and Leiui Kaholokula combined for 15 blocks in the first and 13 in the second. They were able to hold Kaua‘i’s Jori Jasper to eight kills in the two sets, Shyanne Sadora to four and Malia Kagawa to two.
All that changed in the third when the arms got noticeably tired. In the final three sets, Kapa‘a blocks dropped to an average four a set.
Kaua‘i capitalized on that and stepped up on the offense. Establishing the lead early on in all the final three sets, Kagawa added 11 more hits to finish with 13, Jasper added seven to finish with 15 , and Kristin Yasay added six.
Mai’lika Napoleon was the Warriors most lethal hitter, finishing with 11 kills, four assists and four aces. They also got back row support from Kai Zirker who finished with 11 digs.
Kaua‘i’s senior setter Mikaila Naholoholo finished with 28 assists and two aces.
Kaua‘i will now host Waimea for the championships at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Waimea has won the last two championships in a row outright.
In the earlier junior varsity match, Kaua‘i won 25-19, 19-25 and 25-23.
Waimea 3, Island School 0
WAIMEA — The Waimea High School girls stayed undefeated for Round 2 and beat Island School last night, 25-7, 25-8 and 25-13.
The defending champions will go for their third title under head coach Chad Delanoza.
