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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, October 21, 2007

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Kamehameha sweeps through 'Iolani

Photo galleryPhoto gallery: Kamehameha vs. 'Iolani
Video: Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls volleyball

By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Kamehameha's Kanani Herring goes up for the block against 'Iolani's Chelsea Hardin.

JONATHAN BELLO | Special to The Honolulu Advertiser

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Kanani Herring had seven kills and Jordan Meredith six to lead No. 2 Kamehameha to a 25-21, 25-18 victory over top-ranked 'Iolani yesterday at Kekuhaupi'o Gym.

In doing so, the Warriors (40-2 overall, 16-1 league) won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Round 2 Tournament and force a winner-take-all rematch 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Raiders' gym for the overall ILH title.

'Iolani (28-4-1, 16-1) won the regular-season title. Both teams have already qualified for next week's state tournament in Hilo.

Punahou defeated Sacred Hearts, 25-16, 25-14, in the third-place match.

"I'm proud of our girls, how they fought," Kamehameha head coach Chris Blake said.

An estimated crowd of 800, including the Warriors' band, erupted in jubilation following the final kill by Tatiana Santiago.

"I think it definitely helped," Blake said of the crowd. "Playing in this kind of atmosphere is great for Hawai'i volleyball. I'm sure the crowd is going to be packed at 'Iolani."

Tuesday's winner earns the ILH's top seed and a first-round bye in the state tournament.

"We're at home and more comfortable there. We're still confident," 'Iolani coach Jenic Tumaneng said. "We'll be ready to play."

Raiders' senior Leinani Keanini agreed: "This was a wake-up call, but now we know what we have to work on. We know we can do it."

'Iolani got out to an early lead, with Keanini hammering seven of her match-high 11 kills in the first game.

The Raiders scored five straight points to make it 13-7, but Kamehameha went on a 10-2 run to reclaim the lead 17-15.

Tumaneng called a timeout and his team responded with three straight points to give 'Iolani an 18-17 lead. The Warriors responded with an 8-3 run to close the game.

During that stretch, with Kamehameha leading 23-21, Herring ran down a deflected shot well beyond the end line. Libero Cassidee Young then bumped the ball over, but it was mishandled by 'Iolani and Kamehameha earned game point.

"That was probably the turning point in the match," Blake said.

'Iolani never recovered.

Kamehameha took a 4-0 lead in Game 2 and was never really threatened.

Warriors' senior Bekah Torres put down two kills, served up an ace and was in on four blocks, including one solo, in the second game.

"Our biggest thing was pressing," Torres said. "A lot of balls were coming on the inside of us and we just needed to have discipline to press over the block."

Blake said putting up a big block was critical.

"All of our players did well, especially Bekah," he said. "We worked a lot on blocking and different schemes. We tried to tactically attack what they were going to do. We tried to do our best to make them hit a shot they're not accustomed to."

Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.