Rattled at the beginning, 'Iolani rallied to pull off an exciting victory.

Mahina Haina had nine of her match-high 14 kills in the third set, and Chelsea Hardin added 10 as the host Raiders defeated Word of Life, 16-25, 25-10, 27-25, yesterday afternoon in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls volleyball match.

"We just got rattled up and stuck together with it," Haina said. "It was a team effort."

Numerous Raiders (5-0) breathed new life into the team after an out-of-rhythm first set. I'isha Keliikoa and Alissa Youart finished with six kills apiece for the Raiders, and 'Iolani's back line dug balls and kept plays alive.

"Everybody pulled their own weight and we believed in each other and helped each other," Haina said. "Without the ups (digs) ... we wouldn't be hitting the balls down."

The teams battled through a tight third set that featured 12 ties. Haina had five straight kills to give 'Iolani an 18-17 lead.

Word of Life (3-1) responded to take a 22-20 lead after an 'Iolani error. But a Word of Life net violation, kills by Kellikoa and Hardin, and an 'Iolani block gave the Raiders a 24-22 lead.

After a Word of Life timeout, Alexis Villa's block closed the deficit to 24-23, and Crystal Powell's kill down the middle tied the set at 24.

Hardin's kill gave 'Iolani a 25-24 lead, but her service error on the next play tied it at 25. Keliikoa's kill in the middle and Haina's kill ended the match.

"It was just like practice," said Powell, who had nine kills. "We were fighting for the ball and we were just focused and playing our own game."

Word of Life, a Division II school, was confident it could compete with a Division I school. In the ILH first round, all 16 teams play each other regardless of classification.

"We did really well," said Kainoa Ocasek, who had 11 kills. "It's a Division I school and we came believing we can do it. I believed in us."

Word of Life jumped to a 7-1 lead in the first set courtesy of five 'Iolani errors.

'Iolani closed to 12-11 after Keliikoa's block, but Word of Life gradually pulled away with four different players putting down kills for the Firebrands. Kaena Kaina's block made it 22-14 and Ocasek's sixth kill ended the first set.

"We had lapses in our passing and gave them the cushion," 'Iolani coach Jenic Tumaneng said. "In a 25-point game, those leads are difficult to come back."

The second set was a total opposite of the first, with 'Iolani jumping to a 5-0 lead and never letting the Firebrands get close.

After a kill by Ocasek closed the deficit to 9-4, 'Iolani pulled away with a 6-0 run.

BUFFANBLU SWEEP

With a home-style crowd, Punahou defeated all three of its opponents on Friday at the Emerald City Volleyball Invitational in Sammamish, Wash.

The Buffanblu defeated Bellarmine Prep, 25-21, 25-17; Central Kitsap, 25-12, 25-14; and Eastlake, 25-12, 25-11.

The crowd included the Punahou football team, which played Central Kitsap last night, pep band, cheerleaders, parents and alumni who live in Washington.