Kahuku posts stunning sweep of Kamehameha to reach Division I finale

Rayden Aoki | SL

The final girls volleyball match of the 2025 season will be a battle of the Raiders.

Kahuku logged a stunning three-set sweep of Kamehameha to set up one half of the draw, while defending champ Iolani took down Moanalua in straight sets as well to complete the pairing.

"We are pumped," said Lamona Lauhingoa. "We're ready to fight Raiders against Raiders because you know, we want to take that title."

With the win, Kahuku will make a return to the title match for the first time since 2002, where it defeated St. Joseph to claim its lone state crown. That appearance also marked the last time any non-ILH schools were involved in the Division I finale.

"It feels really good because even though we beat them in the preseason, they usually get better throughout the season," said Soliai-Tui. "We knew what we had to do and we train harder than anyone in the state. We were prepared."

The opening set may not have necessarily determined the outcome of this match, but it certainly provided a surge of confidence and momentum to Kahuku, as the two teams traded point after point, particularly after the Warriors tied the game up at 22-all.

Kamehameha had its chance at 25-24 to take the set, but could not capitalize, but Kahuku up 28-27 on a Makamae Schilling kill, finally broke through, taking the first on a resounding block by Talia Soliai-Tui and Schilling.

Set two saw Kahuku take command near the midpoint, extending to a 21-11 lead before Kamehameha rallied late to get within four points at 22-18. A kill by Ayva-Ray Malepeai got the Warriors to 23-19, but back to back points by the Red Raiders, the first by Haleyu Botobalavu to get the set point and the other by Elenoa Lauhingoa, spotted the OIA champs an almost surreal two sets to none lead.

In the third, the momentum at least for a moment, swung Kamehameha's way, and Kahuku faced a margin as large as six down 17-11, as a two straight kills by Kala Chock put the Warriors somewhat in command.

That would be short lived however, as the Red Raiders proceeded to rattle off seven consecutive points of its own to reclaim the lead, powered by the hard swinging Lamona Lauhingoa who had four kills in that scoring run alone.

"Third set, we just want to go home," Lauhingoa laughed. "But yeah, we don't want to take it to five (sets) and we were down, but we caught up and its just a good feeling."

The Warriors got to within a pair of points in the closing moments of the final set, but Kotobalavu put the ender on the match at 25-21 with a kill down the right side.

Soliai-Tui and Lamona Lauhingoa led the Kahuku attack with 10 kills each, and Schilling added eight more kills and a team high 13 digs, while the Warriors were paced by Sauimoana Purcell's match high 13 kills. Chock also reached double digits with 12 kills.

In the first semifinal, it was Iolani controlling the opening set before Moanalua made things progressively tougher in the final two sets.

Taimane Ainuu led all players with 17 kills, and nearly notched a triple-double, finishing with 10 digs and eight assists in the match. Ainuu also shifted over to the setter spot for the back half of the third set, as starter Bailey Nakanelua exited the game with an apparently leg injury and did not return to action.

"I was a little bit nervous but my teammates helped me get in a better mindset and just told me to believe in myself," said Ainuu of the move in the third from hitter to setter. "I just knew that we had to finish it out for her (Nakanelua)."

Despite the shifts in personnel, Iolani actually extended the lead in the third set to as large as 19-12 before Moanalua went on a 11-3 scoring spurt that shifted the game in their favor, taking the lead for the first time since the opening point of set one at 23-21.

The Raiders had the answer, however, and strung together three points of its own, capped off by an ace by Georgie Lee that got the Raiders to match point. Moanalua was able to extend the game, tying the set up at 25-all on Surfia Grounds' 13th kill of the match, but the Raiders punched their ticket to the title game scoring the final two points, one on a combo block by Kalama-Kingma and Annaura Reid-Gillet, and the other a Kalama-Kingma kill.

Iolani is seeking its first state title since 2022. It missed the tournament in 2023 and fell in the final match to Kamehameha last season.

"It feels really good and we were able to push through," said Ainuu of the win.