MILILANI — Winning a key O'ahu Interscholastic Association girls volleyball showdown plus its self-confidence, Pearl City finished off Mililani, 25-20, 24-26, 15-8, last night at the Trojans' gym.

The Chargers improved to 7-2 in the OIA Red Conference Western Division, with both losses coming to first-place 'Aiea (8-0). Mililani fell to 7-1.

"We just have to keep pushing and play harder," said Pearl City senior libero Reyna Acosta, who served the final seven points of the match. "Coach (Stephanie Shigemasa) gave us good advice, and now we know we cannot fold."

In both losses to 'Aiea, the Chargers squandered leads and did the same in the second set last night, building a 21-16 advantage but allowing the Trojans to rally back.

But after trailing 8-7 in the third set, Pearl City tied it on a Mililani hitting error, and Nicole Boyer's kill off an angle shot started the Chargers on their final run. After an ace by Acosta made it 12-8, the Trojans called timeout, but Pearl City did not lose its momentum and the Chargers ended it after kills by Keani Passi and Tabytha Inong, and a double-block by the same pair.

"We've been working on the mental part of the game, so this was huge for us just from that," Shigemasa said. "Just the (boost in) confidence, to me that's almost bigger than the win itself. It's something that will help us move up the rest of the season."

Pearl City appeared confident in last night's first set, finishing with a 6-1 run, highlighted by Marie Fujii's block and two kills by Tonisha Buford.

The Chargers appeared poised for a sweep in the second set, going up, 17-11, on Buford's kill. But six errors — three serving and three hitting — helped the Trojans eventually tie it at 22-22.

The teams traded points until a kill by Shyanne Cossey off an angle shot gave Mililani a 25-24 lead, and Cossey evened the match with another kill off a block.

The third set was even halfway through, but the Trojans suffered a bad break after the second set when one of their setters had to leave the match with an asthma attack and did not return.

"We had to switch from a 6-2 (offense) to a 5-1," Mililani coach Val Crabbe said.

A Pearl City hitting error gave the Trojans an 8-7 lead, but the Chargers would not make an error again.

It started with Acosta's consistent serves, which kept the run going.

"I just tried to play smart," Acosta said. "I knew I had to focus on one area and aim for their weakest passers."

Buford, a junior outside hitter, led Pearl City with a match-high 13 kills. Cossey led the Trojans with 12 kills.

Mililani faces 'Aiea on Tuesday, and then must play Pearl City and 'Aiea again the following week.

"We play 'Aiea, then Wai'anae, then 'Aiea and Pearl City," Crabbe said. "It's a tough stretch."

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