Nothing was going right early for the 'Aiea girls volleyball team last night against Roosevelt.

Nä Ali'i coach Blythe Yamamoto was forced to look down the bench and call on ... Darryl Oshiro, the team's sports psychologist.

What a luxury!

Yamamoto credited Oshiro for sparking 'Aiea to a 17-25, 25-21, 15-10 victory over Roosevelt in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference tournament at McKinley.

"Our sports psychologist turned it around for us — Darryl Oshiro," Yamamoto said. "They weren't responding to anything I was saying, so I told him talk to them between (the first and second) sets and he got them fired up and that was the difference."

Roosevelt dominated early on, going on an 18-5 run to take a 21-8 advantage. Taylor Pupuhi had five kills for the Rough Riders during the surge.

Before the second set, Oshiro went to work. He got into the 'Aiea players' faces and got them fired up.

Yamamoto didn't want to give away Oshiro's words of wisdom. "I'm not giving away any secrets," said.

In the second set, Nä Ali'i scored 10 of the first 14 points. Roosevelt got as close as 23-21.

"They play steady, non-mistake kind of volleyball. That's what brought them through," said Roosevelt coach Rudy Sambrano.

'Aiea's Melelatu Samisoni, a 5-foot-9 senior, had five of her nine kills in the second set.

"We just decided to pick up our energy and play our hearts out," she said.

In the third set, 'Aiea went on an 8-2 run to take a 13-8 lead. Setter Kelly Leopoldo had a pair of dumps for kills during the surge.

'Aiea's Ashley Liilii and Taylor-Marie Fetui had a double block on match point.

Oshiro, who runs "Positive Focus," gave all the credit to the players.

"The players are the ones who played," he said. "They didn't quit and came through at the end."

'Aiea improved to 14-1 overall and 2-1 in the double-elimination tournament. It will play Moanalua on Tuesday at McKinley at 5 p.m.

Roosevelt (5-11, 2-2) will play Mililani on Tuesday at Farrington for fifth place.

MOANALUA 2, MILILANI 0

Nä Menehune coach Tommy Lake called a timeout in the first set against the Trojans with the score tied at 2-2.

He had a point to make and his team picked up on it in a 25-18, 25-16 victory.

"I just wanted to make sure they know how important the early part of the game is," Lake said. "We're a notoriously slow-starting team. I wanted to make sure the girls reset and start again."

Gabriela Matautia had eight kills, and Carsen Mata added seven and also set for Moanalua (13-2, 2-1).

"I don't really mind the work load," said Mata, a 5-7 senior. "I love being on the court, leading and helping verbally."

Shyanne Cossey had 12 kills for Mililani (10-6, 2-2).