LIHU‘E — Kapa‘a High School and Island School each pocketed wins on Tuesday night during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls volleyball matches at Clem Gomes Gym and Wilcox Gymnasium.
The Lady Warriors split their series with the Menehune in Waimea, the Junior Varsity Menehune getting a 2-1 win while the varsity Warriors needed five sets to get past Waimea, 3-2, after taking the first two sets.
Over at the Wilcox Gymnasium, Kaua‘i High School split its series with Island School, the JV team locking in a 2-1 win and the varsity Red Raiders dropping in three sets, two being extra point affairs to the host Voyagers that celebrated Senior Night by highlighting four seniors — Maya Ventura, Brooklyn Valentino, Brittany Valentino and Kate Brown.
Five Kaua‘i High School seniors — Maddison Hubbard, Kayla Fernandez, Aubrey Bechard, Edyn Naka‘ahiki and Mikayla Alonzo — were also acknowledged with lei from the Voyagers before the squads took the floor for competition before several hundred people and guest officiating.
Scores for the night at the Wilcox Gymnasium saw the Kaua‘i JV getting the winners’ nod, 25-20, 18-25, and 25-20 before the varsity Red Raiders tripped 22-25, 26-24 and 26-24 before the onslaught of the crowd-pleasing hammers led by Voyager senior Brooklyn Valentino.
The Red Raiders answered with its share of hits from primarily Mikayla Alonzo and Naomi Ikimaka, but came up short as the Voyagers unveiled the talent from an unidentified player donning the No. 28 jersey joining the matchup with Mary Magoun and Madelynn Halladay.
Breaking from a 20-20 stalemate in the first set, the Voyagers took the lead on Halladay hit, and a Raiders hitting error. Kaua‘i answered, but could only muster points from Keira Caoagas and a Bechard hit before Brooklyn Valentino put the game away, 25-2,2 after the Red Raiders effort stalled on miscues.
In the second set, Alonzo served up points to a 19-19 deadlock, getting help from Keira Caoagas and Naka‘ahiki. A Kaua‘i passing error and a Brooklyn Valentio hit put the Voyagers up, 21-19 before a Voyagers hitting error pulled the Red Raiders back into the match at 21-20.
Kate Brown served up two points that were reinforced by a Brooklyn Valentino hit and a Kaua‘i misfire. An Ikimaka bang saw the Raiders chasing a digit before Island School’s Nohea Judd pulled the Voyagers to a 24-22 bulge.
But the Voyagers could not get the aloha ball as Kaua‘i answered the deficit with an Ikimaka hit before the Voyagers misfired. Mary Magoun gave the Voyagers the advantage before a Raider error closed the door.
Trailing 24-18 in the third set, Keira Caoagas strung up a string of six points to knot the contest, 24-24, with her effort in the service block getting help from a hit from Katelyn Lopes and a number of Voyager misfires. Settling down, the Voyagers put away the game on Brooklyn Valentino and Mary Magoun hammers.
With the victories, Island School, the holder of the KIF first round, will travel to Bernice Hundley Gym to meet Kapa‘a, to date undefeated in the KIF second round.
Whatever the outcome of the final KIF girls volleyball season play, there will be a playoff. If Island School wins, there will be a playoff against Kapa‘a for the second round and championship. If Kapa‘a wins, there will be a playoff for the Central Pacific Bank KIF title.
Kaua‘i will celebrate its Senior Night by hosting Waimea at its new gymnasium. The JV games at both sites are scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity games serving up 25 minutes after the JV contests.
