Warriors fall to Na Aliʻi in girls volleyball
Photo by Riann Fujihara
Senior Kayla Kanemitsu digs the ball during the girls volleyball 0-3 loss on Thursday at King Kekaulike High School.
King Kekaulike won, 3-0, in the second round against the Maui Warriors in girls volleyball Sept. 15 at King Kekaulike Gymnasium, pushing Kamehameha to a record of 5-2 behind Nā Aliʻi’s 6-0.
Junior Talia Leauanae said that the Warriors started off strong, but they were unable to pull through due to their mentality as the game progressed. During the first set, the Warriors started in the lead, but in the end, Na Aliʻi slipped past the Warriors and won 25-16.
In their first-round contest this season, Kamehameha Maui had won the first set.
“[Nā Aliʻi] came out strong. They showed a lot of emotion. I think in the beginning of the game, the last time we played [the Warriors], I think we couldn’t match [their] intensity, and that’s why I think Kamehameha jumped out on us last time,” King Kekaulikeʻs coach Albert Paschoal said.
At the beginning of the second set, the Warriors and Nā Aliʻi were neck-and-neck, both teams fighting to get the lead. Nā Aliʻi surpassed the Warriors due to a few net errors, and toward the end of the set, the Warriors were just a couple points behind, but Nā Aliʻi closed off the second set, 25-22.
The third set was much the same, with the Warriors maintaining a score that was just a few points away from their opponent, but this set ended quickly with a flurry of King Kekaulike points that capitalized on Kamehameha’s communication errors, and Nā Aliʻi finished the final set, 25-18, bringing their record against the Warriors to 2-0 for the season.
“I want to play more as a team and increase our communication on the court. I think that would help us,” Leauanae said.
The Warriors will have one more chance to compete against Nā Aliʻi, Tuesday, Oct. 4, this time at Kaʻulaheanuiokamoku Gymnasium.
“Even though we lost the game, I have no doubt in my mind that our team can come back and win it. We just [have to] fix our errors and minimize our errors, and I think once we do that. I think our team will be unstoppable,” captain Caylee Tuzon said.
King Kekaulike will not be taking a third win for granted.
“Kamehameha has always been a good program for so long that it’s one of those teams that will always be there at the end,” Coach Al said.
