The Hurricanes celebrate towards their bench after sweeping host Waianae Wednesday night in an OIA West match. Michael Lasquero | SL

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WAIANAE - No. 7 Kapolei cleared a major hurdle with a sweep of No. 9 Waianae, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20 Wednesday night to take sole possession of first place in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Western Division.

A deafening crowd of 300 (according to Waianae athletic director Kekoa Kaluhiokalani) watched the Hurricanes (8-0) spoil the Seariders' senior night and move to a win away from from securing the division's top seed. Having beaten the Seariders (7-1) and Mililani Trojans (7-1), the Hurricanes have head-to-head tiebreakers in event of a tie between those two teams. Kapolei's final two regular season games are at home (versus Campbell on Monday and against Radford on Nov. 17). 

The Seariders, who entered Wednesday night undefeated, will play their final two games are on the road: a crucial match at Mililani on Monday and at Nanakuli on Wednesday to wrap up the regular season. The top two teams in the division draw first-round byes for the 12-team OIA D1 tournament.

"You have to bring your game when you come to Waianae," said Kapolei coach Naidah Gamurot, who knows first hand as she once taught at Waianae.

The Hurricanes indeed brought their game. Serving was a big difference. Kapolei registered 14 aces and sprayed its serves strategically, forcing the Seariders into awkward passes for setter Haiti Tautuaa, who still managed 19 assists while navigating the court to chase passes away from her. It wasn't just practicing serving in general, but working on "serving placement," Gamurot said.

The enthusiastic crowd had an effect on both teams. It was only the second match with no seating cap since the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, but this was a crucial match in the standings and cheering sections from both both schools gave it their all. Gamurot said she had a hard time communicating with her players because of the din of the crowd. It was a little more for the Seariders.

"The hype of senior night got to them," Waianae co-coach Kaena Keiki said. "We weren't ready for the noise."

Except for when the set was tied at 1, the Hurricanes led the entire first set, leading by as many as seven points. Two kills and an ace by Nicanora Clarke pulled the Seariders to 19-18, but the Hurricanes pulled away to 25-21.

Waianae opened the second set with a 5-1 lead, only to see Hurricanes fight back. The set was tied on six occasions, the last at 14-all. The Hurricanes pulled away at 17-14 only to see the Seariders battle back to trail 18-17. After an ace by Waianae's Shyla Wagner, a service error and three hitting errors allowed Hurricanes to pull away at 23-17 en route to a 25-20 win.

At the outset of the third set, it appeared the Seariders were finding their rhythm. They led by at one point, 10-5, only to see the Hurricanes chip away. The set was tied at 13, 14, 15 and 16. Kapolei went on a 3-0 run to make it 19-16, but Waianae pulled to within 19-18. The Hurricanes used a 6-2 run to finish off the Seariders, 25-20.