Menehune-sized Falcons surge to 8-0
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Kalani High School girls volleyball team is proving once again that the sport is more than about tall people who can jump.
The Falcons, whose tallest player is 5 feet 9, soared past previously unbeaten Moanalua, 25-20, 25-23, last night to take sole possession of first place in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Eastern Division.
Kalani improved to 8-0 and has only three regular season matches remaining, against Castle (3-5), Kaiser (4-4) and McKinley (3-5). Moanalua dropped to 7-1.
"Every match is different, and every game is different," said Falcons junior Tamari Miyashiro, a 5-7 outside hitter/setter who led Kalani with 12 kills last night. "We can't take anything for granted. We gotta play hard every point."
That especially was true at Moanalua, where the Falcons played before a crowd of about 600. Kalani took control of the match early by winning the first game and then jumping to an 18-9 lead in the second game. The Menehunes closed to 19-16 and scored seven straight points again after the Falcons went up, 24-16.
But the match ended when a Moanalua serve went just long.
"Once we started to settle down, we did OK," Menehunes coach Tommy Lake said. "This was our first really big match, and the girls were a little anxious to say the least. But Kalani doesn't make too many mistakes; they're real steady. They have good digging and their defense is solid."
The Falcons' play was epitomized by Miyashiro, who had six kills to help Kalani take a 16-7 lead in the second game. Most of her kills are not of the high-flying Kim Willoughby rocket-type variety, but rather smartly placed shots with just enough velocity, even from the back row.
"She sets up her off-speed shots and sells them well," Lake said. "She has a great all-around game. Digging, serving, blocking, hitting — she just has instincts on the ball. We were trying not so much to stop her, but more just make sure she didn't do too much damage."
The Menehunes still must play Roosevelt (7-1) and Kahuku (7-1).
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
