LIHUE — The Red Raiders gave its eight seniors a victorious sendoff in their last regular season home match. Kauai High School’s varsity girls volleyball team beat Waimea in straight sets Tuesday night, 25-12, 25-19 and 25-13. “They have really good
LIHUE — The Red Raiders gave its eight seniors a victorious sendoff in their last regular season home match.
Kauai High School’s varsity girls volleyball team beat Waimea in straight sets Tuesday night, 25-12, 25-19 and 25-13.
“They have really good chemistry. They really do,” said Kauai head coach Dorene Matias about her seniors. “They’re a bunch of really good girls. I’m really happy I have them … They work really well together. They’re really solid all the way around right now.”
Junior Adrienne Graycochea led the Red Raiders attack with seven kills, six in the final set, and an ace.
Senior Kawehi Harris had six kills, including the game-winner, and a block. Senior co-captain Harley Kaeo had four kills and a block.
“It’s kind of bittersweet … We’ve come really far this season,” Kaeo said after playing in her last home game after playing for four years. “It’s really good to have a win on our Senior Night. We really didn’t want to lose.”
Senior libero and fellow co-captain Tahra Kaui shared the same sentiments as Kaeo.
“Your teammates become your sisters. We became family throughout this whole season,” she said. “Unfortunately, things have to come to an end. All good things come to an end.”
Ariell Lazaro led Waimea offensively with 10 kills. Shania Kahepuu also had four kills in the Menehune effort.
Waimea head coach Chad Delanoza said although the season didn’t go as he and his team had hoped, it was a learning experience and they were glad to have been a part of it.
“We just wanted to compete. That’s been our conversation … We just couldn’t seem to put it together,” he said. “I’m not disappointed in any way. They showed us that they had some oomph behind it when they wanted to.
“I’m always going to be proud of them. I’m their worst critic, and I should be. But there’s nothing more that we can do other than to continue to just keep working and playing,” he added.
Kauai’s junior varsity team also swept Waimea, 25-14, 25-17 and 25-6.
Kauai (11-1 KIF, 5-0 second round, 1-0 playoff) will play at Kapaa (10-2 KIF, 4-1 second round, 0-1 playoff) and Waimea (3-8 KIF, 1-5 second round) will host Island School (0-11 KIF, 0-5 second round) for their season finales. JV games begin 5 p.m. and the varsity will follow.
If Kauai beats Kapaa, the team will win the second round and claim this year’s Kauai Interscholastic Federation championship. If Kapaa wins, the Warriors and the Red Raiders will play a second round playoff game at a date and location to be determined.
“We’re going to work on everything before Friday,” Matias said. “We got to get ready for Kapaa — bottom line. I’m sure they’re gearing up for us.”
