LIHU‘E — The Island School Voyagers girls volleyball team put a damper on Kapa‘a High School’s aim for the first round title during one of two Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls volleyball matches broadcast by Spectrum OC16 on Thursday night from the new Kaua‘i High School gymnasium.
Entering the hardwood, Kapa‘a varsity needed a win to preserve its one-loss lead for the KIF first round title against the Island School Voyagers, who beat Kaua‘i High School in four sets on Tuesday.
The Voyagers win in four sets had Island School challenging with a two-loss standing.
Playing before a crowd that teased the 1,600-person capacity, including keiki that stalked the mobile cams in an attempt at getting air time, the Voyagers bested the Warriors in five sets, 25-15, 25-19, 23-25, 19-25 and 15-11.
Heavy hitting from Voyagers Madelynn Haliaday, Nohea Judd and Brooklyn and Brittany Valentino punctuated by booms from Mary Magoun set the tempo for the Island School, which had to come back in the fifth set after the Lady Warriors coached by Tori Tuttle forced the 2-2 tie-breaking fifth set.
Ku‘uipomakamae Hunt blossomed to compliment the Warrior hitter lineup of Sierra Summer, Olivia Jenkins, Kanoe Haneberg and Olivia Malafu, who finished with a share of strong blocks in efforts that switched the momentum in the third set when Island School could not close the door.
The second set of competitors included the Waimea High School Menehune, drawing a comment about just eight girls from OC16 broadcasters, upsetting host Kaua‘i High School in four sets, 21-25, 25-14, 25-21 and 25-16.
Ksua‘i team captain, Keira Caoagas, and her sister Leila Caoagas, a freshman, drew nice comments on their respective floor performances from the OC16 broadcasters. Those efforts joined that of hitter Katelyn Lopes, Leila Caoagas and Naomi Ikimaka with sprinklings from a mixed bag made up of Aubrey Bechard, Kawaianuhea Medeiros, Nevaeh Smith and Edyn Naka‘ahiki.
The mixed bag was not enough to get over the consistency put up by the Menehune squad. That included setter Kaulanaa Hui Hui Caberto, whose support system arrived way ahead of the Menehune game, outside hitters Kalia Yaris, Milana Schaefer, and opposite side hitters Cherish Tavita and Kai Kai San Agustine.
With just one more scheduled round of matches remaining in the first round, the Menehune win on Thursday stirs in excitement to their rescheduled match against Kapa‘a on Tuesday at Clem Gomes Gym.
The last remaining games for the first round takes place on Saturday when Kapa‘a visits Island School at Wilcox Gymnasium and Waimea faces the Red Raiders at Kaua‘i High School. The Junior Varsity contests serve up at 5:30 p.m. at both game sites. The varsity contests start 25 minutes after the completion of the JV matches.
