The Kailua girls volleyball team was in trouble at the fifth-set changeover last night against Waimea.

But once it happened and the teams switched sides, the Surfriders had a change of fortune.

Kailua rallied from an 8-4 deficit in the fifth set to beat Waimea, 25-21, 19-25, 21-25, 25-18, 16-14, in a first-round match of the New City Nissan Division II Girls State Volleyball Championships at Farrington.

"I'm very proud of my team," said Kailua's Dancel Williams. "We stuck together in the end, kind of late, but as long as you stick together. I trust my teammates."

Kailua (13-3), the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's third-place team, will play No. 1 seed Hawai'i Baptist, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion, in a quarterfinal match tonight at 7.

In the fifth set, Brandee Victorino and Jayme Jacinto each had two kills as Waimea (12-1), the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champion, went up 8-4.

After the teams switched sides, the Surfriders went on an 8-2 run to take a 12-10 advantage.

The match was tied at 14, before a foot fault on a Waimea server and kill by Sherie Recca ended it.

"I think a little bit of nerves always kick in in the fifth game," said Waimea coach Chad Delanoza. "You kind of lose sight a little bit, and Kailua played a helluva match. Coming back from 8-4, they scrapped their way back. A lot of credit goes to Kailua tonight."

Recca had 15 kills and Williams added 14 for Kailua, which was out-hit by Waimea, .125 to .089.

"I just told them, you have to give it your all, and just go all the way," said Kailua coach Mani Yamaguchi-Taufaasau. "No dropped balls, just play. Play with your heart."

In the first set, Nycole Masaki served eight in a row, including three aces, to put Kailua up 18-10. Williams had three kills during the surge.

The Menehunes got as close as 24-21, but a kill by Anolani Reyes won it for the Surfriders.

In the second set, Waimea's Hamiha Arquette had five kills, and Kailua had 11 hitting errors.

Waimea scored four in a row to take a 20-16 lead in the third. The Surfriders couldn't get closer than three the rest of the way.

In the fourth, Kailua went on an 8-1 set-ending run, including three kills and a block by Recca.

Jacinto had 18 kills for Waimea, which has only two seniors on its 15-player roster.

Other matches

At Farrington

Castle def. Seabury Hall, 25-23, 25-16, 25-14: The Knights were able to play at a fast tempo against the Spartans.

It's what Castle prefers, and it led to a quick victory.

Malie Garcia had 14 kills and Erika Jarrett added eight for Castle (13-5), the OIA runner-up.

"For momentum, it's how we like it," Garcia, a 5-foot-4 junior, said of the fast pace. "When we play slow, it just slows everybody down and everybody gets lazy, and our momentum goes down, too."

Kanani Santos had eight kills to lead Seabury Hall (12-3), the Maui Interscholastic League runner-up.

At Kalani

University High def. Honoka'a, 25-14, 25-19, 25-16: Michelle Fainberg had 11 kills, and Ruth Tusi and Quynne Eharis each added 10 for the Junior 'Bows (12-10), the ILH's third-place team.

Jessica Muskat and Chelsea Requelman each had five kills for Honoka'a (12-2), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up.

Word of Life def. Hawai'i Prep, 27-25, 25-17, 25-13: Kainoa Ocasek had 16 kills and Kaena Kaina added 14 for the Firebrands (16-5), the ILH runner-up.

Leeta Grap had 10 kills for Ka Makani (10-4), the BIIF's third-place team.