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Kalani Takase | ScoringLiveOctober 13, 2021, 10:42pm
Wed, Oct 13, 2021 @ Kapolei [ 7:00 pm ]
KAPOLEI — Henua Moefu recorded a match-high eight kills to help Kapolei open the girls volleyball season with a one-sided sweep of visiting Aiea Wednesday night.
The Hurricanes (1-0) made quick work of Na Alii (0-1) by set scores of 25-8, 25-12 and 25-11 in the first match of the 10-game Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division regular season.
The match marked the first league competition for either team since the 2019 season — a span of nearly two full years.
"It's just so nice to be back," longtime Kapolei coach Naidah Gamurot said.
Gamurot has the luxury of a veteran-laden squad this fall; five of her 12 players are seniors, including the trio of middle blocker Maya Saole-Sue (five kills, two block assists), opposite Toodie Sopi (four kills, two aces, block assist) and middle/opposite Kailana Andrade (four kills, three aces, solo block, block assist).
"Half the team is returning and the other half is new, so it's half and half," Gamurot said of her roster.
She lamented the loss of the 2020 season, which would have been setter Alexis Kepa's senior campaign.
"We were really bummed that we didn't have last year because we had Alexis Kepa for a setter — that girl could set anybody anything — and she was a senior last year and Toodie them, they were all juniors last year, but (Kepa) graduated, we lost that season," Gamurot explained.
With Kepa gone to graduation, the setting duties are now in the hands of starter Kilinahe Andrade, a 5-foot-11 senior, and her back-up, Leohone Hao-Ishii, a 5-5 junior.
Kilinahe Andrade dished out 16 assists and Hao-Ishii tallied 12 off the bench as Gamurot was generous with playing time for her reserves against an overmatched Aiea squad.
"The hitters are adjusting to Kili, but I think they're doing well. It's kind of hard to make that change really fast," Gamurot said. "Kili has improved a lot and she's getting better; she's getting the feel for it."
Kapolei jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the opening set and eventually stretched it to a 19-6 cushion on back-to-back service aces by Kilinahe Andrade. An ace by Kailana Andrade a few points later gave her team set point and Moefu put away a kill from the left side off an assist from Hao-Ishii to close out game 1 by a commanding 25-8 margin.
All of Aiea's points in the first set were a result of Hurricanes' errors (four service errors, four attack errors).
Sanoe Baldomero served up three aces that were part of a 5-0 Kapolei run that put her team up 9-3 early in set 2. Na Alii cut it to a 12-9 deficit with a Jadelyn Sidotti ace — one of just two they had in the match — but the ‘Canes answered with a 6-0 run that included four consecutive aces by Maya Feliciano to separate, 18-9.
Kapolei scored the final five points of set 2 to win it, 25-12. It had 10 of its 18 services aces in the second set.
The Hurricanes got three kills, a block and two aces from Sopi during a 13-1 run to start off the third set. Na Alii committed seven of their 16 attack errors in game 3 — the final one set-up match point. Madison Burke recorded her only kill of the match to close it out for Kapolei, 25-11.
Marley Hartley had three kills and an ace and Leilehua Paraoan (ace), Azariah Nunuha (ace) and Baldomero (three aces) added two kills apiece in the win.
Gamurot was pleased with the way Kilinahe Andrade balanced the offense. Nine different Hurricanes recorded at least one kill.
"She was able to spread it out and people were able to do it," Gamurot said.
Hao-Ishii got ample playing time, as did all of the ‘Canes. Gamurot was able to get all dozen of her players significant playing time against Na Alii, who had just seven players suited up Wednesday.
"We did. Everybody got to play at least a game and a half," she said.
Tehani Yamashita had four kills and a block assist to lead Aiea.
Gamurot could empathize with the situation that her counterpart, longtime Aiea coach Blythe Yamamoto, is in this fall. Na Alii count zero seniors among their nine total players; in fact, there are just four juniors on the roster — more than half of which is made up of underclassmen (three sophomores and two freshmen).
"They have, like, all brand new people so she's starting from scratch," Gamurot said of Yamamoto.
Gamurot can't speak for Yamamoto — whose team plays another perennial title contender next in Mililani Monday night — but she suspects the wins and losses are a bit secondary for all teams this year.
"It was such a long break, so I think everybody, we're just grateful that we have an opportunity to be back and I guess everybody's back next Wednesday, audience and all, so that'll be good," Gamurot said, referring to the OIA's announcement Wednesday that it would allow fully-vaccinated, masked fans to attend sporting events starting Oct. 20.
Kapolei will visit Leilehua Monday, before it hosts Waialua two days later.
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