OIA Girls Volleyball
No. 5 Moanalua squeezes past Kailua


Michael Lasquero | ScoringLive
September 14, 2017, 11:14pm

  

Thu, Sep 14, 2017 @ Kailua [ 7:30 pm ]

Moanalua

2

Kailua

0

FINAL  1   2   3   4   5      
MOA (15-2) 25 25 0 - - 2
KAIL (3-9) 21 21 0 - - 0
Kill: T. Ikenaga (MOA) 9 kills
Blk: S. Ehnstrom (MOA) 1 blk
Ast: E. Dulaney (MOA) 15 ast


KAILUA — The varsity match at Harry Murai Gymnasium Thursday night featured two teams that had very contrasting records.

One team came in undefeated, while the other was winless — but neither team looked the part when it was all said and done.

Fifth-ranked Moanalua continued its winning ways with a 25-21, 25-21 win over host Kailua in Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division play, but it was far from easy as Na Menehune (6-0) had to overcome 18 hitting errors in the match against the upset-minded Surfriders (0-6).

Moanalua also committed three service errors in the opening set and had two other violations called against its squad.

"It was a sloppy night for us," said Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting. "I think more than half of the points scored was just us not mentally being in it. Of course, Kailua played really well as well, (but) a lot of it was we just weren't in it tonight somehow."

While Cabanting expected more out of his team, Kailua coach Tee Maiava couldn't help but beam about her team's performance against one of the top teams in the OIA.

"I just think they played a helluva of a game," said Maiava. "We've been struggling since the start, but tonight was the definitely the best they looked on the court, and the best that they played as a team. It's a plus for me. I can't ask for more."

The Surfriders were competitive in their first two matches, taking Kaimuki (1-5) and Kalani (5-1) to three games, but suffered a setback when six-rotation player Elikapeka Kupahu-Phillips tore her ACL in the team's third match of the year.

As a result, Kailua has been experimenting with different types of lineups and systems with the eight remaining players on its roster since then.

The day before the match against Moanalua, the Surfriders put in a 6-2 offense that had Chierstyn Holbron and Aigafealofani Tigilau at the setter position and had Honesty Kanoa and Shariah Fiso-Naki at the pins.

Based on what happened Thursday night, Kailua looks like it may have found its identity against Na Menehune.

"We're just trying to figure out where the girls feel the most comfortable in," said Maiava. "Yesterday was the first time we practiced (the 6-2). It's better, they look like a different team and their spirits is up after the game. They did good tonight."

Kanoa and Fiso-Naki finished with seven and five kills respectively while Tigilau and Holbron combined for 15 assists.

On the other side of the court, freshman Tayli Ikenaga had a match-high nine kills to lead Na Menehune in the win. Jeslyn Spencer and Sara Ehnstrom each had six kills and Delylah Sanerivi pounded out four kills from the middle to round out the Moanalua attack.

Ehnstrom also had seven assists while splitting time at setter with Emily Dulaney, who had a double-double of 15 kills and 10 digs with three kills. Senior libero Hula Crisostomo, a 2016 All-Hawaii Second Team selection, had a match-high 23 digs to lead Na Menehune's defense.


Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].




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