LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation opened its second round of girls volleyball with all four participating members splitting their respective series, Tuesday at both the Bernice Hundley Gym, and the Wilcox Gymnasium sites.
Traveling from Menehuneland, the varsity Menehune wahine, the first round title holder, claimed victory in straight sets over the Lady Warriors, 25-13, 25-9, and 25-10 following the sting of defeat suffered by the Junior Varsity Menehune who dropped their contest to the JV Lady Warriors, 20-25, 22-25, and 25-20.
Over at the Wilcox Gymnasium on the Island School campus, the Kaua‘i Red Raiders JV were vanquished in straight sets, 16-25, 13-25, and 22-25 by the Island School Lady Voyagers JV.
The varsity Kaua‘i girls redeemed the JV loss by holding off the Voyager threat, 25-19, 25-21, and 25-23.
Facing a nine-point deficit, 24-15 in the first set, Voyager Brittany Valentino served up a string of four unanswered points, including an ace, and two solid hits from sister Brooklyn Valentino to keep the doors open against Kaua‘i before Red Raiders’ Nahe Bukoski closed the door on a solid hit, 25-19.
The Bukoski whack was a pivotal point for Kaua‘i when the senior team leader came down with a wince of pain on the floor.
The point that sent Bukoski to the bench for the remainder of the night served not only to close the set, but served as a rallying cry from the rest of the Red Raider bench who stepped up to carry the void left by the injury.
“This is resilience,” said Kaua‘i head coach Shyanne “Shy” Sadora. “The girls have been through a lot, and to persevere through all of this. We’re trying to create a family, ‘ohana.”
Kaua‘i’s Erin Hunt stepped in to replace Bukoski’s body in the rotation, getting her shot in during the third set when her hammer answered back-to-back aces from Island School’s Liko Edwards for a 13-17 deficit.
A block from Mikayla Alonzo coupled with a Voyager miscue still kept Kaua‘i in the minus column, 15-17.
There was no turning point for Kaua‘i until, trailing 19-21, a Voyager serving error coupled with a bang from libero Jaclyn Oshiro knotted the contest 21-21.
Brooklyn Valentino moved the Voyagers ahead only to have Kaua‘i answer with a Keira Caoagas hit for the 22-22 deadlock. An exchange of errors on both sides knotted the contest, 23-23 until the Voyagers were victims of a double hit, and Elise Yukimura put the period on the 25-23 win.
“The girls needed to play disciplined,” Sadora said. “They’re learning trust. To trust each other so they can do their own jobs, better.”
Kaua‘i next travels to the Clem Gomes Gym to take on Waimea, Friday night, the JV contest serving up at 5 p.m. followed by the varisty contest 25 minutes following the completion of the JV game. The Voyagers make the trip to the Bernice Hundley Gym to face Kapa‘a with the JV contest starting at 5 p.m., and the varsity starting 25 minutes following the completion of the JV contest.
Scoreboard
• Kapa‘a/Waimea Junior Varsity: 25-20, 25-22, 20-25.
• Waimea/Kapa‘a Varsity: 25-13, 25-9, 25-10.
• Island School/Kaua‘i JV: 25-16, 25-13, 25-22.
• Kaua‘i/Island School Varsity: 25-19, 25-21, 25-23.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
