Brigham Young-Hawai'i women's volleyball coach Wilfred Navalta tried unsuccessfully to recruit Tuli Peters out of nearby Kahuku High School in 2003.

Three years later, Peters is back in La'ie, and Navalta has a player with Division I experience who has led his team to a perfect season.

"It's nice to be back in the community, and it's awesome to be playing in front of them," said Peters, who led Kahuku to the state volleyball title her senior year.

Prior to the season, Navalta said his team was rebuilding, but Peters' all-around skills have allowed the Seasiders to go 14-0 and earn a No. 9 ranking in the latest CSTV/AVCA Division II coaches top 25 poll.

Peters, a 5-foot-9 junior outside hitter, leads the Seasiders with 5.96 kills per game, and often is called upon to get key kills.

"Tuli is definitely a go-to player," said sophomore setter LeeAnn Mapu, who averages 14.1 assists per game. "When we need a point she's always there."

Peters has 642 total attacks, 274 kills and 86 errors for a .293 hitting percentage. She has eight 20-kill matches this season.

"I'm glad I can be someone the team can go to," said Peters, who played two seasons at Fresno State.

She also leads the Seasiders with 4.02 digs per game, and ranks third with 16 aces and 20 blocks. Peters also has only two serve-reception errors this season.

Peters, who enrolled at BYU-Hawai'i last year but didn't play, has been named Pacific West Conference Player of the Week three times this season.

A fourth honor might be on the way after she put down 20 kills and had eight digs in a sweep of Chaminade on Tuesday night. The Seasiders (10-0 PacWest) host Hawai'i-Hilo tomorrow and Saturday.

"I think she just carries the load," Chaminade coach Glennie Adams said. "She's a great player and very well-rounded — ball-control, offense and defense. She has a good court sense about her, too."

Peters also has provided leadership for a team that has only two seniors.

"She talks a lot and she leads by example," Mapu said.

Peters is one of five Kahuku High graduates on the Seasiders' 13-player roster, which doesn't have anyone taller than 5-11. Nine of the players are from Hawai'i.

Since the Seasiders don't have height, they rely on a scrappy style of play.

"Mostly coming from Hawai'i they love to play with each other and they made a resolve to play good defense," Navalta said. "We focus on defense and ball-handling, and that's the type of thing that will help us in the long run."

Other key contributors for the Seasiders are junior outside hitter Noelle Filimoeatu (3.76 kills/game), and sophomore middle blockers Faylynn Merrick (45) and Roseanne Vea (30 blocks).

Vea is a 5-6 former walk-on, who played libero last season.

"She roofs some people at her height," Navalta said.

TIME TO RETURN

Peters made the All-Western Athletic Conference second team her sophomore season at Fresno State, but returned home after coach Lindy Vivas was fired.

Vivas, a 1975 Punahou graduate, was fired by the Fresno State administration in December 2004, seven months after filing a Title IX complaint against the school with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Vivas, who filed a lawsuit against the school, had been the coach at Fresno State for 14 years.

"After high school, I had decided to either play under Lindy Vivas or play in front of a home crowd," Peters said.

"As soon as the incident with Lindy and Fresno State happened, I decided to come home and it's been a blessing for me to be at home. It was a much needed move for me, and I'm glad to be here."

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.