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Na Menehune down Warriors in 3

By Robert Collias 5 min read

PUKALANI -- Kamehameha Schools Maui girls volleyball coach Evan Jenkins knew his team was in for a huge challenge on Monday at Kaulaheanuiokamoku Gym.

Moanalua, a power in the Oahu Interscholastic Association, was coming to play a first-round match in the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division I state tournament. 

The Maui Interscholastic League came into the Monday elimination match with an 0-5 record in matches hosted by league runners-up in a format the Hawaii High School Athletic Association adopted in 2016. 

While the Warriors fought valiantly, the MIL's record in such matches fell to 0-6 after Na Menehune rolled to a 25-15, 25-18, 25-15 sweep.

"We got to watch them, we knew they were coming with some tough hitters, so we definitely did our best to prepare with our blocking and digging strategies, but, you know, yeah, they brought their 'A' game," Jenkins said. "I felt like we fought them really hard and I'm really proud of our girls. We showed our best, so good match all around."

Moanalua started the match on a 6-1 run, but the Warriors rallied to within 10-9 before Na Menehune went on a 6-0 run to take a 16-9 lead. 

A solo block by Sadie Akana pushed Moanalua's lead to 19-10 and the Warriors didn't get closer than eight points the rest of the first set.

In the second set, Na Menehune bounced out to 8-3 and 17-10 leads before the Warriors went on a 3-0 run to close within 17-13. Later the Warriors drew within 20-17 -- to reach 20-16, Kamehameha Maui won a rally that took nearly a minute to finish -- and brought a timeout from Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting.

Na Menehune finished the set on a 5-1 run. 

Moanalua rolled to a 7-1 lead in the third set before a combination block by Haven De Silva and Leilani Gates started a 4-0 run for the Warriors. Back-to-back kills by Hiilei Fuqua brought Kamehameha Maui within 8-7, and an ace by Fuqua made it 10-9 Moanaluna.

From there, Na Menehune went on an 8-2 run to take an 18-11 lead and bring the final timeout of the match from Jenkins.

A few minutes later, the match ended on a kill by Moanalua's Kamaluhia Garcia.

Garcia led Na Menehune wirth 13 kills and Leilani Giusta added 10. Archer Fabrao had seven kills and Fuqua added four for KSM.

Moanalua lost in five sets to Kapolei in the OIA tournament quarterfinals as the OIA East's No. 2 seed, but rallied back to win its next two matches to grab the league's fifth spot into the 12-team state tournament. 

"I think the one that's really bothering us right now is teams are going to play well as Kamehameha Maui did and those times that they're playing well how mentally tough can we be?" Cabanting said. "It definitely showed when we played Kapolei in our OIA playoffs and I think it showed a little bit here. We did a little bit better job on it when Kamehameha Maui was putting balls away. 

"I mean, they're a great defensive team and whenever we go up against those kinds of teams and we have to put another ball and another ball and another ball away, that's when we kind of get into our own head."

Moanalua has nine players on its roster 5-foot-10 or taller. The trip they made on Monday will help as Na Menehune move on to the state quarterfinals to meet No. 2 seed Kahuku on Wednesday.

"Absolutely, we're trying to take a positive out of this (and) that loss to Kapolei," Cabanting said. "It gives us an opportunity to bond a little bit more and to be able to work out the things we weren't able to work out."

Jenkins just finished his second year at the KSM helm and he knows his team is building. 

Five seniors -- Fuqua, Gates, Mahie Dean, Shyra-Mae Dudoti-Caban and Kayla Frias -- waved goodbye to high school volleyball with the loss, but the Warriors return a solid nucleus that includes De Silva, setters Haylee Pruse and Emmi-Lin Felten and Fabrao, a freshman outside hitter.

"We're watching our program grow back up, COVID took it out, but we're coming back, we have solid underclassmen coming back," Jenkins said.

Jenkins sees the positives as well for his team as the season ends.

"It will be tough to rebuild without those five (seniors), but we have Haylee and Emmi, our seniors, Archer and Haven ... we have a lot to look forward to next season," Jenkins said.

* Robert Collias is at rcollias @mauinews.com.

*****

Girls Volleyball State Championships

DIVISION I

Monday's Results • First Round

Moanalua def. Kamehameha Maui 25-15, 25-18, 25-15

Kapolei def. Hilo 22-25, 25-14, 25-23, 25-20

Punahou def. Farrington  25-10, 25-10, 25-14

Mililani def. Leilehua 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 25-20

Wednesday's Matches • Quarterfinals

At Moanalua

No. 1 Iolani vs. Kapolei, 5 p.m.

No. 4 Baldwin vs. Mililani, 7 p.m.

At McKinley

No. 2 Kahuku vs. Moanalua, 5:30 p.m.

No. 3 Kamehameha Hawaii vs. Punahou, 7:30 p.m.

DIVISION II

Tuesday's Matches • First Round

At Kalani

Lanai vs. Hawaii Prep, 5 p.m.

No. 5 Waialua vs. Maryknoll, 7 p.m.

At Saint Louis

Damien vs. Ka'u, 5 p.m.

Kailua vs. Hawaii Baptist, 7 p.m.

Wednesday's Matches

Quarterfinals

At Kalani

No. 4 Island School vs. Waialua-Maryknoll winner, 5 p.m.

No. 1 Le Jardin vs. Lanai-Hawaii Prep winner, 7 p.m.

At Saint Louis

No. 3 Seabury Hall vs. Damien-Ka'u winner, 5 p.m.

No. 2 Konawaena vs. Kailua-Hawaii Baptist winner, 7 p.m.

Consolation

At Kalani

Lanai-Hawaii Prep loser vs. Waialua-Maryknoll loser, 3:30 p.m.

At Saint Louis

Kailua-Hawaii Baptist loser vs. Damien-Ka'u loser, 3:30 p.m.

Starting at /week.