The Kamehameha-Hawai'i boys volleyball team overcame a nemesis other than the one across the net yesterday to advance to the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

Despite the inconsistencies that have plagued them all season, the Warriors pulled out a five-set win over Mililani, 25-21, 12-25, 24-26, 25-17, 15-10, in the first round of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball Division I State Championships at McKinley Gym.

"It's our nemesis. If we can avoid inconsistencies, we can be spectacular," Kamehameha-Hawai'i coach Tom Poy said. "But that's what had a part to play in our three losses so far. The inconsistencies, the unenforced errors."

Kamehameha-Hawai'i (12-3), the second team out of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, plays fourth-seeded Kamehameha-Maui (9-1) of the Maui Interscholastic League, today at 5 p.m. at McKinley.

Last night, the Warriors overcame several serving and ball-handling errors to hit .261 in the first set, holding the Trojans to -.043.

"A lot of times we hurt ourselves," Poy said. "Once the boys realized that we were hurting ourselves, and if we could fix it, then we had a good chance of winning the match."

The Trojans turned it around in Set 2, hitting .367 to Kamehameha-Hawai'i's .000, taking advantage of a 12-0 run behind the serving of junior setter Scott Enos.

"Definitely up and down, we had a lot of inconsistencies, and it's plagued our team for pretty much this whole season," Kamehameha senior Chandler Kaaa said. "I think we just had a mental lapse, and the passing was a key to that set. Just like the BIIF match against Waiakea, we couldn't pass in that match and when we can't pass we can't do anything."

The Trojans rode that win to another in the third set, which was tight until the end. The Trojans gained their second set point on a kill by senior Bronson Sagon and won it on a lift call on the Warriors.

Needing to win the final two sets to pull out the match, the Warriors opened the fourth set with an 11-6 lead and although the Trojans closed to 12-10, Kamehameha-Hawai'i went on a five-point run for a 16-10 lead and didn't let the Trojans get closer than four points after that.

"They got the jitters out; Mililani is a tough team, they have their one solid player and their whole team revolves around him and we had a hard time stopping him," Poy said. "Our boys faced some adversity throughout the match, and buckled down in the fourth set and continued through the fifth."

Behind a 9-4 start to the fifth set, the Warriors took control and wouldn't allow the Trojans within three. The Warriors outhit the Trojans, .389 to .000.

"I think because we've been doing it all season, when we get down we're used to coming back and playing," said Kaaa, who had 20 kills. Kamehameha-Hawai'i junior Keoni Bailado added 11 kills.

Mililani senior Reid Pangelinan also had 20 kills.

Mililani coach John Ing said inconsistent play hurt his team.

"Again, that's what we struggled with," Ing said. "And tonight, we struggled with them being involved and motivated to play."

KAMEHAMEHA 3, BALDWIN 0:

Kamehameha senior outside hitter Kaipo Lucas tallied a match-high seven kills as the Warriors (17-3) swept the Bears (5-7), 25-8, 25-14, 25-11.

Kamehameha plays third-seeded Waiakea, of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, at 5 p.m. today.

Kamehameha setter Carlson Aki set a balanced attack, with all hitters getting at least three kills, and the Warriors hitting .529 to -.058 for the Bears.

LEILEHUA 3, CASTLE 0:

Leilehua defeated Castle, 30-28, 25-18, 25-12, in an all-O'ahu Interscholastic Association match.

Leilehua (12-4), the OIA's third team, advances to play top-seeded Punahou (17-1), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion.

Leilehua senior outside hitter Malakai Keola notched a match-high 11 kills and hit .500.

Sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Joel Hendrick led the Knights (9-8) with six kills.

'IOLANI 3, PEARL CITY 0:

Raiders senior outside hitter Nick Christman notched 10 kills and senior outside hitter Chris Llarenas added nine in a 25-15, 25-16, 25-19 sweep over the Chargers.

'Iolani (15-4), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's third-place squad, plays Roosevelt (14-0), the second seed and O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion, at Radford at 7 tonight.

Senior outside hitter Donovan Nieves had nine kills to lead Pearl City (9-7), the fourth-place OIA team.