Roosevelt's Nolan Pena gets both hands on a kill attempted by Kalaheo. Tyler Guieb | Special to SL

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Roosevelt's Tyler Yamanouchi and Kalaheo's Kainoa Peterson battle for a ball at the net. Tyler Guieb | Special to SL

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Kalaheo's Nai'a Singlehurst puts down a kill attempt between the Roosevelt block. Tyler Guieb | Special to SL

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Kalaheo swept Roosevelt (4-1) in two sets, 25-17 and 25-23 to hand them their first loss of the season in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium on Thursday night. 6-foot-3 right side hitter Kainoa Peterson had eight kills, 6-foot-8 middle blocker Luke Owens had seven kills and setter Ty Fujii had seven assists.  

"I think we had pretty good energy in the beginning we kept it good in the first set. In the second set, I think we let go a little bit and they picked up and they we came back strong," said Peterson.

In the first set, Kalaheo took a 7-4 lead after Nai'a Singlehurst nailed a kill after an assist from Fujii. The Mustangs outscored the Rough Riders 8-3 to make it 15-7 after a Roosevelt net violation.  

Kalaheo led by as much as 10 in the first set and Luke Owens put them up, 24-14 after a service ace. Roosevelt scored three straight points after Jake Kawasaki's service ace to make it 24-17. However, Kawasaki's service error resulted in Kalaheo winning the first set, 25-17. 

In the second set, Roosevelt kept it close throughout and Kalaheo's largest lead was three points. Keanu Furtado went to work and tied the game at 5 after a big solo block. Singlehurst added another kill to make it 10-8. 

Furtado cut the deficit to one after his kill resulted in a Kalaheo side out to make it 13-12. Owens finished Fujii's set with a kill to make it 15-12. 

"I think for us the passing is key and that's what we need to work on and that's what will help us the most, the passing," said Peterson. 

The Rough Riders managed to tie the game at 17 after a side out and also tied the game at 22 after a kill from Furtado. A Roosevelt service error and a kill from Peterson gave Kalaheo a 24-22 lead. Roosevelt's Chaston Marcos' solo block made it 24-23, but Owens pounded a kill off an assist from Fujii to end the match. 

"That's what we worked on in practice, we worked on scoring that next point and focusing on that next point so stuff like that won't happen and we can cap our mistakes real quick and come back," said Peterson. 

Kalaheo plays at Kalani on Mar. 18 at 6 pm while Roosevelt goes to Kaimuki to play the Bulldogs at 5 pm on the same night. 

After beating Roosevelt in two sets, Kalaheo dispatched host McKinley in two sets, 25-11 and 25-16 to improve to 7-0 in the OIA Red East. 

"I think it helps us a lot and it gives us a good experience and what we need to work on," said Peterson. 

Kalaheo will play at Hawaii Baptist in an exhibition match Friday as part of HBA's annual Spike Night. The Mustangs and Eagles will play at 6 p.m. following a 4:30 p.m. JV game between HBA and Saint Louis.