Island School Voyagers force playoff; face Waimea Tuesday

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kapa‘a’s Olivia Jenkins follows her shot into the blocking efforts of Waimea’s Kaulana Hui Hui Caberto and Kaylen Lewis Friday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls volleyball games at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapa‘a High campus.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kapa‘a’s Toni Jordyn Umalla, one of four seniors recognized Friday, digs out a ball in the third set during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls volleyball games at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapa‘a campus.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Waimea’s Kalia Yaris hits against the blocking effort of Kapa‘a’s Norma Tuulangavalu, one of the four seniors recognized, in the third set Friday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls volleyball games at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapa‘a campus.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kapa‘a’s Tiare Regina Morita, one of four seniors honored Friday, hits against the defense of Waimea’s Cherish Tavita and Kaylen Lewis in the third set during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls volleyball games at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapa‘a High campus.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

The Kapa‘a High School junior varsity girls volleyball team celebrates its undefeated season Friday after warming up the varsity Lady Warriors at the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation games at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapa‘a campus.

KAPA‘A — There will be a playoff for the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls volleyball title Tuesday at the Wilcox Gymnasium on the Island School campus in Puhi, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Island School overcame a second-set surge by the visiting Kaua‘i High School girls to capture the night, and Round 2, in four sets, 25-22, 20-25, 25-15 and 25-16.

Waimea High School, the holder of Round 1 honors by finishing that series undefeated, spoiled the Kapa‘a High School Senior Night festivities in straight sets, 25-23, 25-20 and 25-14, before an audience that saw four Kapa‘a Warriors seniors — Tori Jordyn Umalla, Madison Doo, Tiare Regina Morita and Norma Tuulangavalu — honored for their service.

The Menehune, afflicted by medical absences on the active roster in Round 2, had to dig out of a 0-9 hole in the first set created by Morita serving up nine straight points that included a nice whack from Tuulangavalu and a combination of Menehune miscues.

Menehune senior Safina Sandblom took the service line for nine points, including a pair of aces and hits from Kaulana Hui Hui Caberto for the 10-10 deadlock.

Kapa‘a’s Olivia Jenkins, only recently recovered from a bout with the cold bug, broke the Warriors away from a 12-12 stalemate for seven unanswered points that were peppered with hits from Sierra Summer and Olivia Malafu, giving the Lady Warriors a 19-12 bulge.

Following a series of short point exchanges, Waimea knotted the contest 23-23 on a Warrior hitting error and put away the game on a Sandblom ace.

In the second set, the Menehune broke away from a 12-12 stalemate on a Keani Cabral string from the service block, and closed the door on a Kalia Yaris hammer despite Kapa‘a’s Jenkins nailing an ace that was answered by Waimea’s Ambrieal Kanahele.

Waimea closed the night on long service strings by Cabral and Kanahele, not allowing Kapa‘a to overtake the train.

Kapa‘a, earlier in the night, swept the Menehune junior varsity, 25-20, 25-14 and 25-15, to claim the JV title with an undefeated record.

Over at the Wilcox Gymnasium, the JV Voyagers swept the JV Red Raiders, 25-23, 25-23 and 25-18.

Waimea and Island School will face off Tuesday for the KIF girls volleyball title and eligibility to advance to the New City Nissan Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division II state championships that will be contested on Oct. 25 through 28 on O‘ahu.

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