KAPAA — The Menehune had a chance to seal the season’s second round at the Warriors home gym last week, but fell short. This time around, they got the job done. Waimea High School’s varsity girls volleyball team defeated Kapaa,
KAPAA — The Menehune had a chance to seal the season’s second round at the Warriors home gym last week, but fell short. This time around, they got the job done.
Waimea High School’s varsity girls volleyball team defeated Kapaa, 3-2, in Tuesday’s second round playoff game at Kapaa High School.
“It’s always tough to come here and win, period,” said Menehune head coach Chad Delanoza. “A lot of great energy in the gym. We just wanted to survive tonight’s match. In the end, they played to win. Hats off to them. Kapaa was going to bring everything because they had nothing to lose. It was actually a great match on both sides.”
Kapaa senior backside hitter Tori Daligcon-Pomaikai started the fifth set with two consecutive blocks, but Warrior errors contributed to Waimea getting a 14-7 lead.
Kapaa sophomore middle blocker Tupou Paua got a block and senior outside hitter Haaheo Mahinai got a kill to fend off Waimea a little longer, but a comeback wasn’t meant to be.
Menehune senior middle blocker Brandee Burton got the game-winning kill and Waimea won the final set, 15-9. Senior setter Alyssa Pigao had the assist.
“There’s never a lead that’s safe. There’s always something we can work on to get better on to get better on, and that shows tonight,” Delanoza said. “We just had a little less unforced errors going into the fifth set. That gave us a little bit of momentum. The kids just came together and played for each other. Just, what a night.”
Waimea won the second and third sets, 25-19 and 25-22, and Kapaa won the first and fourth sets, 25-19 and 25-16.
“We weren’t consistent enough to do it. We had glimpses. Waimea, they hung in there,” said Warriors head coach Evan Costa. “No matter what, our girls just got to take care of it. We had to take care of our responsibilities, but we weren’t able to do it consistently enough.
Burton totaled 13 kills, two aces and a block for Waimea. Senior outside hitter Ariell Aquino-Lazaro had 13 kills as well. Junior middle blocker Shania Kahepuu had nine kills. Pigao had 44 assists and a block.
Daligcon-Pomaikai had nine kills and six blocks for Kapaa. Junior middle blocker Paea Tafea had six kills and six blocks. Senior middle blocker Siokapesi Paua had seven kills and a block. Senior setter Kunani Tuttle had 33 assists, three kills and a block.
Kapaa, the Kauai Interscholastic Federation season’s first round winner, and Waimea played the KIF championship game Wednesday evening at Waimea High School. Results will be published in TGI’s Friday edition.
