Eighth-ranked Kahuku sweeps past KS-Maui, Iolani next

Brien Ing | SL

For the first time since 2017, it will be a battle of the Raiders in the postseason.

Kahuku got tested by Kamehameha-Maui for the first two sets, but ultimately overpowered the host team to sweep the match, 25-21, 25-22 and 25-13, and set up a matchup with top-ranked Iolani in the quarterfinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division I Girls Volleyball Championships.

Chalei Reid put down a match-high 15 kills and Lamona Lauhingoa added 10 more to pace the Red Raiders' offensively, with setter Elenoa Lauhingoa padding her stat line with seven kills, 16 assists, six digs and two blocks.

"She's our biggest hitter and we depend on her a lot," said Elenoa Lauhingoa of Reid. "She carries a lot of the load for our team."

The first set opened with Kahuku jumping out to a quick 6-0 lead, but the home team chipped away steadly, eventually getting to within 15-14 on a kill by Hiilei Alo. From there, the two teams swapped mini runs, and the Warriors actually tied the score at 20-all before the Red Raiders pulled away late to take the opening set, capped off by a kill by Lamona Lauhingoa.

Set two followed nearly the same script as the first, with Kahuku building an early lead before weathering a rally by Kamehameha-Maui. The 6-0 scoring run that was capped off by a Kaena Chun Brown service ace, put the home team in front for the first time in the match, and that margin held firm at 22-19.

From there, Kahuku made its move, tying the score on a kill by Elenoa Lauhingoa kill and finding set point on a pair of hitting errors by Kamehameha-Maui. From there Telia Fiatoa finished off the set with an ace to put the Red Raiders firmly in front.

Momentum seemingly in hand, Kahuku pounced in set three, jumping out to a 17-1 lead with Talia Soliai-Tui at the back line. In that stretch, Soliai-Tui served up three aces, the Red Raiders' front line recorded a pair of blocks and the Warriors' committed five hitting errors.

"I think our energy was good and the way we stuck together in the third set, because the first and second set was kind of rough," said Elenoa Lauhingoa.

The home team did its best get back into the match, getting to within 20-9 with an 8-2 run punctuated by a Haven De Silva kill that forced the Red Raiders to call for time, but ultimately Kahuku's margin in the set proved to be too much.

Uilani Ahana had nine kills and Archer Fabrao added seven more for the Warriors, who's season came to end with a record of 10-5.

Iolani and Kahuku faced each other in the state semifinals of the 2017 season, with the ILH runners-up winning in convincing fashion, 25-13, 25-6, 25-8.