Friday, October 26, 2001
[ PREP VOLLEYBALL ]
Not ready for their season to end, defending Oahu Interscholastic Association girls volleyball champion Moanalua survived the first round of the league playoffs to move within a win of the state tournament. Moanalua a step away
from state tournamentBy Tim Crouse
tcrouse@starbulletin.comMoanalua, which reached the semifinals of the state tournament last year, beat host Leilehua, 15-13, 15-9, to reach the OIA quarterfinals. Moanalua will play at Kahuku tomorrow for a berth in the state tournament.
"We talked before the game and we decided we didn't want to end our season today, so we said we have to just work hard and push through this game," Moanalua head coach Sheri Sagayaga said.
Six-foot-one senior middle blocker Amanda Vasques made certain the Menehunes would play another day, dominating the match with 11 kills and a block, even though she only played the front row.
Patti Hardimon, a junior, added six kills and a block.
Moanalua took leads of 7-4 and 11-7 in the first game, as Vasques rotated in off the bench with three quick kills. Leilehua's Annie Lanoza had consecutive kills to bring the Mules within 13-11, but Moanalua closed out the game with the help of several Leilehua hitting errors.
In the second game, Leilehua jumped out to a 6-2 lead, but once Vasques rotated in, Moanalua slowly fought its way back to tie it at 6. The Mules retook the lead, 9-6, but Hardimon blasted a kill for a sideout and another for a point and the Menehunes never looked back.
"Our bench helped us a lot (with the comeback)," Hardimon said. "Our coaches told us we have to stick it out and play to our potential and we just raised the level of our game after that."
Vasques put on an impressive display to end the match, accounting for the final five points with four kills and a block.
"She's done better coming off the bench," Sagayaga said. "She brings a lot of excitement.
In the boys match, Leilehua downed McKinley, 15-13, 17-15.
In other boys playoff action, Moanalua beat Campbell, 13-15, 15-6, 15-13, and Kahuku upset Mililani, 15-11, 9-15, 15-9. In girls play, Kaiser swept Campbell, 15-4, 15-7, and Roosevelt beat Mililani, 6-15, 15-7, 15-9.
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