Hawaii Baptist repeats as state division II girls volleyball champs
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
It was a sweet repeat for the Hawai'i Baptist girls volleyball team, especially considering the lengths the Eagles had to go through Saturday night to beat Word of Life.
Sarah Palmer had a super-human 34 kills as Hawai'i Baptist beat Word of Life, 26-28, 25-19, 25-27, 25-21, 15-13, in the final of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball Division II State Championships at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawai'i Baptist, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion and No. 1 seed, led the fifth set 7-4, but Word of Life tied it after a kill by Taylor Kaalele, ace by Crystal Powell and another kill by Kaalele.
The match was tied five more times with the final one at 13-13. Palmer ended it with consecutive kills.
Hawai'i Baptist, which beat Seabury Hall in last year's final, also beat Castle and Kailua earlier in this tournament.
Powell had 22 kills to lead Word of Life, the ILH runner-up.
Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.
