Kahuku girls sweep Kalani to stay unbeaten in OIA East

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

A year ago, the Kahuku High School girls volleyball team showed up a bit sleepy for its match at Kalani and got a rude awakening in the form of a straight-game upset.

Last night, the Red Raiders showed up at Kalani energized and eager to give their ailing coach a big road victory. The difference was a 15-7, 15-10 sweep that kept Kahuku (5-0) atop the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Eastern Division standings.

Kalani, which lost to Kahuku in last year's OIA final, fell to 4-1.

"Last year we had no focus at all when we came here," said Red Raiders assistant Irwin Ah Hoy, who is assuming head coach duties while his wife, Mona, recovers at home from a cyst removal surgery. "It was a Saturday, and everybody went to the football game the night before (at Aloha Stadium), and Kalani played a really good game. ... Tonight, there was a really big change."

Senior outside hitter Tuli Peters, a first-team OIA East all-star in 2001, led the way again with nine kills. But she got lots of help from junior middle blocker Musie Olevao (five kills, four blocks), junior outside hitter Chazel Fiso (three kills, four blocks) and others.

"My teammates are all strong," Peters said. "It's not like we only have one person."

Kalani kept it close through much of the first game despite trailing from the outset. The Falcons closed to 9-7 on an ace by Jamie Furutani, but an error and two lifts by Kalani helped Kahuku quickly stretch the lead to 12-7. Blocks by Olevao and a double-hit by the Falcons closed the game for Kahuku.

The Red Raiders again never trailed in the second game, jumping to a 4-0 lead. After Kalani closed to 5-3, Kahuku scored five points off Falcon errors and went on a 7-2 run.

Kalani staged a late mini rally to pull to 14-10, but Krisha Kai ended the match on a tip.

Falcons sophomore Tamari Miyashiro led the match with 12 kills, but Kalani was plagued by five service errors that gave away valuable sideouts.

"I think we could have done more, but we didn't use our brains," Falcons coach Tehani Fiatoa said. "We had plenty of errors, we killed ourselves."

Fiatoa acknowledged Kahuku's arsenal of heavy hitters, but said her team did not stick to its strategy to neutralize them.

"We scouted them and knew what they would do," Fiatoa said. "Their big hitters were changing the angles of their hits, but we didn't adapt to what was going on. We never got into a rhythm."

The Red Raiders, meanwhile, seemed to have solved that problem for now.

"This year we have more focus," Ah Hoy said. "With all 12 players, we can replace anybody at any time and still play well. We didn't have that last year. We can even take Tuli out if we have to. We couldn't do that last year."

Peters said this year's Red Raiders also are less likely to be caught napping.

"We have more discipline, more motivation," Peters said. "We know our potential."

In other OIA girls action last night, Moanalua remained undefeated at 4-0 after a 15-6, 15-1 victory over Kaimuki. Kahuku is scheduled to play at Moanalua Oct. 10.

The Red Raiders have another big match Tuesday when they host Farrington, which improved to 5-1 after a 15-8, 15-5 win over Castle.