Preps: KS-Maui sweeps Hana, Molokai downs Seabury in MIL volleyball
By Mary Beth Bishop
The Maui News
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PUKALANI, Maui — The Kamehameha Schools Maui girls volleyball team left nothing to chance yesterday, defeating Hana in convincing fashion in a Maui Interscholastic League match at Kaulaneanuiokamoku Gym.
The Warriors remained undefeated, winning 25-13, 25-11, 25-15 after relentlessly attacking the Dragons' defense and spreading the action among their seasoned veterans.
Ginger Long had 10 kills for Kamehameha (6-0), while Teilissa Tua contributed eight. Kaulana Ane had 14 assists and five digs, and Cymbree DeCosta added 12 assists and five aces.
Kayla-Al Kaluau also had 12 digs for the Warriors, and Whitney Santos had four aces.
''This year our team, there's no individual, there's no star player, there's not our one go-to girl this year — our whole team plays together,'' Tua said to The Maui News.
''We all are on the same skill level and it just works out, we have a lot of good chemistry this year and the seniors are really leading the team this year.''
The Dragons (2-4) scored the first four points of the match, but a kill by Ane got the ball rolling for the Warriors, who quickly regained a lead they would not relinquish in the set.
''Hana's a great team — they're super scrappy, they're athletic and there's no quit in that team, so we knew we had to come out fairly strong to try to establish ourselves early,'' said Kamehameha coach Bala Spencer. ''We kind of didn't do that until the second and third games, but we just kept taking care of the ball and just kept swinging.
''They're going to get in a lot of digs — Hana's a great defensive team. They gave us some trouble — our girls kept swinging and they kept digging balls, so we just kept swinging. Eventually something's going to give for one of us.''
Hana coach Louis Ho'opai said the experience his team gained will help down the road.
''We mostly prepare for Seabury, Moloka'i, because that's our division, but if we play good against Kamehameha and Baldwin, that's an extra plus for us,'' he said. ''It prepares us very well.''
Younger members of the Warriors' squad also gained valuable playing time in the third game.
''It's pretty nice,'' Spencer said. ''They're young — that last squad had, I think, two seniors on there and the rest were all sophomores. I've got to get them in the game and get them more experience.
''I'm kind of happy with the way things are going right now — we're improving every single day, we're adding more and more things every single day and they're responding, which is good because we can start doing a little more. We're still doing a lot of basic volleyball fundamentals and I think because we do, it's carrying us through a lot of games.
''I think we're right where we want to be and hopefully we'll peak at the end.''
MOLOKA'I 3, SEABURY HALL 0
HO'OLEHUA, Moloka'i — Kalei Adolpho had 16 kills to lead the Farmers to a sweep of the Spartans last night at The Barn.
Adolpho also had six blocks and five assists for the Farmers, who won 25-20, 25-22, 25-13 to tighten up the Maui Interscholastic League Division II race.
Danna-Lynn Hooper added 12 kills and 22 digs for Moloka'i (6-1). Kawena Puhi had 33 assists, and Kailana Ritte-Camara, Wailani Hernandez and Louisa Torres-Umi had 16, 15 and 11 digs, respectively.
''The great thing about it is what started us rolling was our defense,'' Moloka'i coach Matt Helm said to The Maui News. ''We blocked the ball really well. Seabury came out swinging, which we expected them to.''
The previously undefeated Spartans, the defending MILD-II champs and state runner-up last season, fell to 5-1.
Seabury next plays at King Kekaulike on Thursday, while Moloka'i is idle until Oct. 10, when the Farmers will face the Pine Lasses on Lana'i.