Boys volleyball celebrates senior night win
Photo by Quinn Williams
Austin Peters and Chyalis Min block the ball from Maui High’s Buster Barrett in the Warriors’ senior night game at Kahekili Gymnasium on Wednesday, April 16.
The Kamehameha Maui boys volleyball team celebrated senior night with a close win against the Maui High Sabers on Wednesday, April 20 at Kahekili Gymnasium.
“We worked as a team and got the win,” senior Craden Kailiehu said.
The Warriors, who won in five sets, have two seniors on the team, Chyalis Min and Craden Kailiehu. Both seniors have played high school volleyball for Kamehameha Maui for all four years and were big assets in last night’s game.
“I knew their potential was greater, and tonight they played to their potential,” Coach Robert Brede said.
Coach Brede coached the two as freshman and said he recognized their potential then.
The Warriors stole the first and second sets, 25-19 and 25-20, maintaining a steady lead throughout both sets until the third set, where Maui High took the lead.
The Warriors fell short by 7 points, and the set ended 25-18 for Maui High.
“The third and fourth set got away from us,” Coach Brede said.
The Sabers led the entire fourth set, despite many kills by junior Keo Chun, and they won 25-21.
It wasn’t until after the fourth set that Coach Brede said the boys “finally opened their eyes.”
Both Coach Brede and Kailiehu said they were lacking in passing, and they lost momentum.
While Maui High took the first two points of the fifth set, the Warriors came back, leading the set by low differentials. Junior Keahi Jacintho and both seniors were responsible for many kills in this set, helping continue their lead.
The score got close toward the end of the fifth set, where there were two instances in which the Warriors were only leading by one point, 13-12 and 14-13. Chun, who contributed multiple kills all night made the final kill, sealing the win for the Warriors.
“In the fifth [set], we earned all our points, and that’s how you win games,” Coach Brede said.
The Warriors’ next game is the Maui Interscholastic League Divison 1 Tournament semi-final against Lahainaluna on Thursday, April 28. The time is to be announced.
“If they can keep this momentum going right now, then we have a really good shot [against Lahainaluna],” Coach Brede said.
