In a state championship atmosphere — and possible state championship preview — Punahou rallied past Kamehameha, 21-25, 25-16, 26-24, last night to win a special playoff for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls volleyball first-round title.

The visiting Buffanblu, ranked No. 3 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, improved to 15-1 in ILH play and secured one of the league's two Division I state tournament berths with the victory.

The three-time defending state champion Warriors, ranked No. 1, fell to 14-2.

"I think we thrive in these moments, playing in gyms where it's almost everybody against us," said Punahou senior setter/outside hitter Anuhea Keanini, who finished with 14 kills, including the final two to win the match. "During those last timeouts, we just said to focus on the little things, and we came through."

The Buffanblu had to dig down deep from a 23-18 deficit, scoring eight of the match's final nine points. Charlotte Fonua had a block and a kill to spark a 4-0 run to close it to 23-22, and after Talia Jardin's kill gave Kamehameha match point at 24-22, Tai Manu-Olevao had a kill and the Warriors had a hitting error to tie it 24-24.

That's when Keanini got a kill to land in the backcourt and then spiked the winning point through a Kamehameha block, providing a climactic end for the vocal crowd of about 600 at Kekuhaupi'o Gym.

"Punahou is a great team, and in Anu, they have that one player who can lead them in times like that," Warriors coach Chris Blake said. "But they're a good team overall, top-to-bottom. They have experienced players who have played together, and they rose to the occasion."

The match went a back-and-forth almost throughout.

Kamehameha took a 16-11 lead in the first set, only to see the Buffanblu rally and close to 22-20. Kills by Alex Akana and Taylor Akana finally gave the Warriors a 25-21 win.

The second set was tight until a series of Kamehameha errors helped Punahou score five straight points for a 21-15 lead. Lahela Williams served two aces to help the Buffanblu score the final four points to even the match.

"We had some passing problems, and they put us in a lot of bad spots," Blake said. "I think our girls got a little complacent, but they had to come back motivated for Game 3."

After spotting Punahou a 6-2 lead in the third set, the Warriors rallied to tie it 13-13 and then went up 23-18 as Alex Akana had five kills to highlight the run.

But a kill by Manu-Olevao started the Buffanblu on their 4-0 run to tighten it up and swing the momentum back in Punahou's favor.

"I wasn't overly optimistic (being down 23-18), but in that situation I think if you can get those first one or two points, it puts some pressure on the team with the lead," Buffanblu coach Jim Iams said. "Those were really important points. But Kamehameha played a great match — it was good high school volleyball, and I think I would say that even if we had lost."

EAST O'AHU TOPS TEAM FROM VANCOUVER, B.C.

Sage Capone had 11 kills, nine assists and 15 digs to lead the East O'ahu Boys Volleyball Club to a 25-21, 25-23, 20-25, 25-23 victory over Winston Churchill School from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on Monday. The teams play again tonight at 7 at Star of the Sea gym. Winston Churchill is ranked No. 7 among Canadian high schools.