Three games resulting in three wins was the outcome for the Kamehameha Schools Maui girls volleyball Warriors on Day Two of the 2011 Maui Volleyball Invitational, held at Ka’ulaheanuiokamoku gymnasium.
First, the young KSM Warriors overcame an initial defeat by Hawai’i Baptist Academy to win the second and third sets and the match.
This was the loudest pairing of the early matches today with parents and fans stomping their feet, cheering loudly, and jumping out of their seats as the point-for-point action got intense.
In the first set the Warriors were ahead for most of the game. Then, they gave up a few points when communication broke down, and that was just the opening HBA needed to tie at 17 points, take the lead, and ultimately win the set, 24-26.
In both the second and third sets, KSM trailed in the begining, caught up when the games reached the double digits, and kept going to win the two sets and the match, 26-24, 25-16. Multiple Eagles errors in the final five-points of the second set sealed the win for the Warriors, and in the third set, it seemed that the Eagles were rattled and just could not get their game back on track.
Head Coach Bala Spencer described the HBA girls volleyball team as, “tough, really tough,” and that the win was big for the Warriors.
The lady Warriors then played the Seabury Hall II team, defeating them 25-17, 25-18.
KSM also won the last game against the Maui High School Sabers in two sets, 25-18, 25-14.
In both of the later matches, Coach Bala rotated the entire bench into play, and spectators got to see the range of talent that will make up this year’s team. Though they weren’t the starting combinations, they quickly blended in, found their rhythm and played with teamwork and consistency. In fact, in the third set, the Warriors allowed the Maui High Sabers to take a one-point lead only once per game.
” There should be some good games tomorrow and a lot of intense matches,” said middle blocker Leimana Kane about the final day of the three-day tournament, which begins at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, August 20.
The Warriors’ first game is at 1:30 p.m. at Ka’ulaheanuiokamoku gym on the high school campus.
“Lots of good volleyball, lots of good teams–there are going to be a lot of great matches tomorrow,” Head Coach Bala Spencer said.
Entrance to the final day of the tournament is $5.00, which includes entrance at both the high school and middle school gyms all day.
