WAILUKU — As the Baldwin High School and Kamehameha Schools Maui girls volleyball teams danced together in the middle of the Jon Garcia Gym floor on Wednesday night, they showed both are ready to give the New City Nissan/HHSAA state tournament a solid run.

The Bears won their third straight Central Pacific Bank Maui Interscholastic League Division I crown with a hard-fought 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 sweep of the Warriors in the league tournament final.

The Bears (13-1) will be in the state quarterfinals on Nov. 8 on Oahu while the Warriors (11-3) will host a state first-round match on Nov. 6.

“They’re a phenomenal team, they have good ball control, it was a really good win for us,” Baldwin junior libero Natronai Anana said after collecting 25 digs, a kill and an ace. “I’m really happy that they pushed us and that we played our game.”

The two teams embraced and danced in jubilation to “Irie Beach Party” by Rebel Souljahz after receiving their gold and silver medals.

“I love all these girls, like they’re our biggest competition but at the end of the game they’re like my best friends and like sisters,” Anana said. “So, big honor to play them.”

Lilinoe Paschoal had 45 assists, two kills, an ace and four digs as the Bears’ setter.

“We’ve been putting in the work for as long as I can remember, for like three months in the gym,” Paschoal said. “I’m just glad to see it paying off.”

Paschoal also smiled when asked about the closeness between the two teams.

“It’s amazing, all of those girls I consider a family at this point,” Paschoal said. “The girls that are on my club, I love them even more.”

The night began with a furious late rally by the Bears for the first set.

The Warriors ran off a 4-0 streak to take a 14-11 lead in the first, bringing a timeout from Baldwin coach Al Paschoal.

A kill by Amanda Naipo brought the Bears within one, and a kill by twin sister Ariana Naipo gave Baldwin a 15-14 lead. The Warriors bolted back in the back-and-forth battle, taking a 17-15 lead on a step-out kill by Haven De Silva.

A perfectly-placed dink by Archer Fabrao pushed the Warriors’ lead to 20-17.

Out of a timeout, the Naipos put together back-to-back kills to bring the Bears within 20-19 before Fabrao’s kill off the top of the block and a hitting error pushed the Warriors’ lead back to 22-19.

A kill by Ariana Naipo made it 22-21 and brought a timeout from Kamehameha Maui coach Sienna Davis. Back-to-back aces by Lilinoe Paschoal gave the Bears a 23-22 lead and Davis called another timeout.

Ariana Naipo smacked home a kill and another ace by Paschoal ended the first set on a 6-0 Bears run.

The second was close throughout. It was tied 19-19 when Kuulei Manaois smacked home back-to-back kills, one on a step-out and one on a quick set from the middle. Amanda Naipo then served an ace, bringing a timeout from Davis at 22-19.

Ariana Naipo made it 23-20 with kill off the block and Anana sent a bump kill into the far corner to bring set point to the Bears. A Paschoal ace iced it as the set ended on a 6-1 Baldwin run.

The Bears opened an 11-6 lead in the third set on a kill by Imani-Malie Hargis before back-to-back solo blocks by De Silva and another solo block by Fabrao made it 11-9. The Warriors tied the set 13-13 on a hitting error.

A hitting error by Kamehameha put the Bears up 14-13, and they didn’t relinquish the lead the rest of the way. Amanda Naipo’s kill made it 19-15, and she later smacked a kill to the corner to make it 22-18 and bring the final timeout of the night from Davis.

Amanda Naipo had 18 kills, nine digs and three aces, Ariana Naipo finished with 16 kills and seven digs, and Manaois had seven kills and three digs.

Al Paschoal was pleased with his team’s play, especially against a tough Warriors team.

“They were playing better than pretty good, I think, over the last couple of games,” Paschoal said of the Warriors. “So, we really had to step it up and I’m proud of the girls. We’ve had a little bit of a stomach bug going around the last few days, but the girls stepped it up big time.”

Davis was pleased with her team and is ready to host the Maui Monday game.

“I think both teams played well and both sides really wanted it tonight,” Davis said. “It was a great performance on both sides. You know, what more can you ask for from a championship match?”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.