Ariana Naipo

The Maui News

Not all sweeps are made equal. The Baldwin High School girls volleyball team proved that Thursday night in the semifinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division I tournament.

The fourth-seeded Bears (14-2) gave Kamehameha Kapalama all it could handle, but in the end the top-seeded Warriors prevailed in three sets, 25-22, 25-20, 25-20 at the Moanalua gym in Honolulu.

Ariana Naipo had 10 kills and nine digs to lead Baldwin, the first Maui Interscholastic League squad to make the D-I semifinals since King Kekaulike in 2016. Amanda Naipo added seven kills and seven digs, Lilinoe Paschoal had 23 assists, four kills, five digs and three blocks, and Natronai Anana had a match-high 12 digs for the Bears.

After falling behind 19-12, the Bears used a furious rally to get back into the first set. With Linnea Kahoohanohano — just one of two Baldwin seniors — at the service line, the Bears went on a 7-0 run, getting within 19-18 on a block by Imani-Malie Hargis and Paschoal.

The set remained close, and a Warriors error brought Baldwin within a point again at 23-22 before Kamehameha closed it out with two kills from University of Hawaii commit Adrianna Arquette.

The Bears never led in the second set but were able to keep within striking distance and nearly caught the Warriors late, closing to 23-20 on three straight points thanks to a pair of kills from Ariana Naipo and another from Hargis. A Bears service error and a block by Alohilani Chun and Emma Lilo gave the set to Kamehameha.

Neither team led by more than three points in a tight third set until the Warriors went on a late 4-0 run to turn a tied game into a 23-19 advantage. Kamehameha sealed the victory with Arquette’s match-high 13th and final kill, followed by a Bears attack error.

The Warriors out-hit the Bears .227 to .121, though most other statistical categories were fairly even. Led by Anana and the Naipos, Baldwin held a slight advantage in digs (38-35) and both teams each had six blocks; the Bears were led by Hargis with five stuffs, including two solo.

Baldwin had four aces — two by Kuulei Manaois and one each by Ariana Naipo and Kahoohanohano — with 12 service errors, while Kamehameha had three aces and 11 errors from the service line.

With the win, the Warriors (16-1) now face Punahou (16-4) in tonight’s D-I championship match at 7 p.m. at BYU-Hawaii’s Cannon Activities Center in Laie. The Bears will take on Kamehameha Hawaii (15-1) in the third-place match at 2 p.m.

In Division II fifth-place semifinals at Kaimuki on Thursday, MIL champion Seabury Hall advanced to the final day with a win over Waialua, while MIL runner-up Maui Prep saw its inaugural state tournament run end against Hawaii Prep.

The Spartans (15-1) defeated Waialua two sets to none (individual set scores not reported). They will take on Hawaii Prep in the D-II fifth-place game today at 12:30 p.m. at the Cannon Activities Center.

Na Pueo (12-5) fell to Ka Makani 25-17, 25-15.

*****

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

DIVISION I

Thursday’s Results

Semifinals

At Moanalua

Punahou def. Kamehameha Hawaii 25-18, 25-18, 25-17

Kamehameha Kapalama def. Baldwin 25-22, 25-20, 25-20

Fifth-place semifinals

At McKinley

Moanalua def. Kapolei 25-17, 25-22

Mililani def. Roosevelt 25-12, 25-19

Today’s Matches

At Cannon Activities Center

Fifth place–Mililani vs. Moanalua, 11 a.m.

Third place–Baldwin vs. Kamehameha Hawaii, 2 p.m.

Championship–Kamehameha Kapalama vs. Punahou, 7 p.m. (OC16)

DIVISION II

Thursday’s Results

Semifinals • At Kalani

University def. Damien 24-26, 25-14, 25-22, 25-22

Mid-Pacific def. Hawaii Baptist 18-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 15-13

Consolation final • At Kaimuki

Kau 2, Kapaa 1 (set scores not reported)

Fifth-place semifinals • At Kaimuki

Hawaii Prep def. Maui Prep 25-17, 25-16

Seabury Hall 2, Waialua 0 (set scores not reported)

Today’s Matches

At Cannon Activities Center

Fifth place–Seabury Hall vs. Hawaii Prep, 12:30 p.m.

Third place–Hawaii Baptist vs. Damien, 3:30 p.m.

Championship–Mid-Pacific vs. University, 5 p.m. (OC16)