KSM girls volleyball is moving on to the top pool of the Maui Invitational Tournament after victories over Laguna Blanca and Seabury Hall I tonight.
They first beat Laguna Blanca 15-18, 25-16.
The first set was up and up due to what Coach Bala Spencer called “mental errors,” which included multiple serving and hitting errors until a four-point service run by junior Anuhea Ka’iaokamalie brought the Warriors to a 14-9 lead. KSM started to manage the ball better on their side of the net and got a good lead again at 18-13.
In the second set, the Warriors came out strong and quickly gained a six-point advantage. All servers had at least a two-point run, which brought them up quickly. Another strong service run by junior Sienna Davis took the score to 18-10.
The first set against Seabury Hall I got off to a similar start with the points going back and forth until it was 10-10. Again, long service runs and good hitting accuracy eventually brought them to an eight-point lead at 20-12. Seabury Hall I came back with kills from the middle and caught up to make it a 24-23 game, but the Warriors closed it out and won 25-23.
Both teams kept the second set close until KSM got a 10-point lead at 17-7. There were minor communication problems in the second half of the set and Seabury managed to reduce the Warriors’ lead to 24-21 at one point.
“We lost our focus and had to get it together,” said junior setter Bobbi Kalama.
The Warriors did and won the set 25-21, and the match in two sets.
The Warriors will face Hawai’i Baptist Academy, their toughest defensive challenge, at 3:30 today, August 19, in Ka’ulaheanuiokamoku gym on the high school campus.
“They’re like a machine, very disciplined and with pinpoint ball control. It will be our first huge obstacle this season, and I believe the girls are looking forward to it,” Spencer said. He also said that they are trying to get into the rhythm and learn from their mistakes.
If they rank at the top in their pool again, KSM will be placed in the top pool for the finals on Saturday and be one step closer to becoming the tournament champions. Last year, the team placed third in the Ikaika division.
The tournament continues today and tomorrow with games beginning in the high school gym at 3:30 p.m. and in the middle school gym beginning at 6:30 p.m.
