The KS Maui Warriors triumphed over the Sabers in Tuesday’s game of girls volleyball at Maui High. The Warriors won 25-20, 25-19 and 25-16.

For the first time this season, sophomore and outside hitter Emma Yen was in the starting line-up and played for most of the three games. Head Coach Bala Spencer said that Yen has made great strides in her game play.

“Emma has really improved. One area that she’s gotten better at is her footwork. She’s a good passer and has gotten more confident in her position,” he said.

Yen’s father said that she has put in a lot of hard work. “Practice is every day. She doesn’t say much, probably because she’s so tired. [After volleyball practice] she comes home, eats, does her homework and sleeps,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better. I’m excited to be starting. Hopefully my teammates and I will continue working hard and supporting each other,” Emma Yen said.

Coach Bala noted that their team has been making efforts to emphasize the progress in footwork, to get the players’ feet in the right position to cover more ground. He also said that the team has been working on getting into a rhythm, so everyone gets to play equally, complementing each other’s skills.

On Tuesday, KS Maui led all the way throughout the first set, never letting the Sabers get to within more than 2 points of their score, and they finished with a commanding lead of 15 points.

The second set was similar to the first except that Maui High was able to tie the score at 16-16; however, the Warriors pushed forward regained the lead and finished on top, 25-19.

The Sabers brought a fresh energy to the third set. It was up and up between the two teams, going back and forth between points until they tied at 13-13. Then, the Warriors once again took the lead and the victory, 25-16.

Earlier in the evening, the junior varisty girls lost their match in two sets, 21-25 and 15-25.