Defending champs
bow out in quarterfinals

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Star-Bulletin staff

HILO >> After struggling to get into the Nissan Girls State Volleyball Tournament, Iolani made an early exit.

The defending state champion Raiders lost yesterday to No. 4 seed Seabury Hall 15-8, 15-8 in the first quarterfinal match at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

Iolani got past Kalaheo in the first round, but didn't have enough to seriously challenge the Maui Interscholastic League champion Spartans.

Lecca Roberts had a match-high 12 kills and Lauren Powley had seven kills and seven blocks for Seabury Hall, which meets top-seeded St. Joseph in the semifinals.

Reigning Star-Bulletin state player of the year Kanoe Kamanao finished with four kills and three blocks for Iolani, which beat Punahou in last year's state final.

The Raiders earned a spot in the tournament by winning a three-way ILH playoff with Punahou and La Pietra.

St. Joseph got past Moanalua in the last quarterfinal last night, 13-15, 15-9, 15-11. The Cardinals hadn't lost a game since the opening match of the BIIF season, 16 matches ago.

Junior Jazmin Paakaula pounded a tournament-high 20 kills and junior Lindsey Lee and senior Sarah Mason added 13 and 12 kills for St. Joseph, which improved to 16-0.

No. 2 seed Kamehameha routed Kealakehe 15-3, 15-3. Lori Nakamura paced the Warriors with six kills and two blocks.

Kamehameha is the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's last chance to keep alive a streak of 21 consecutive state championships.

Iolani's quarterfinal loss also guarantees that there won't be an all-ILH final for the first time in several years.

Third-seeded Kahuku, the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion, ripped Maui 15-2, 15-6.

Senior Tuli Peters blasted a match-high 11 kills and added three aces for Kahuku.

The Red Raiders and Warriors meet in the first semifinal today, scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Kamehameha is seeking its first state title since winning its third straight in 1999.

The Warriors have 12 state crowns, easily the most for a girls team (University has won eight times). Kailua is the last OIA team to win (1981) and Hilo has the only two championships for a neighbor-island team (1972, '74).

In yesterday's consolation match, Kalaheo swept Waimea 15-11, 15-11. Amy Lusk pounded 14 kills and Juliana Sanders added nine more and five aces.

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