JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Jacey Tagavilla and Emily Maeda of Roosevelt blocked a kill attempt by Tialei Wesley of Kahuku last night.
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Kahuku steps over Roosevelt in OIA
It was a tough midseason volleyball test, but Kahuku aced the exam.
The No. 6 Red Raiders rallied after dropping Game 1 and claimed the next two from No. 5 Roosevelt in the Rough Riders' building, 17-25, 25-19, 25-20, last night in a matchup of undefeated league rivals.
Roosevelt (4-1), the defending Oahu Interscholastic Association champion, was dealt its first loss in league play, while Kahuku retained the best record in the OIA Red East (5-0).
Stalwart defense got things turned around for Kahuku, then timely play from junior Lavinia Latu helped Kahuku pull away in the deciding game, which was tied for the eighth time at 20-all.
Latu fired deadly serves -- including two of her match-high five aces -- to keep Roosevelt off balance during a 5-0 run that the Red Raiders used to pull away. Six-foot sophomore Amanda Tonga slammed down an overpass from Latu's final serve for match point.
"It was pretty big, knowing they were last year's OIA champs," said Latu, a 5-foot-6 junior. "It felt good, taking it one by one (point) near the end."
Kahuku coach Uila Vendiola, in her first year succeeding Mona Ah-Hoy, proved she could make the proper adjustments to take a close match.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Alayna Galeai of Kahuku put a kill past Casey Issenmann and Emily Maeda of Roosevelt last night.
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"Under pressure, when we needed her, she stepped up to the line and served all the way to the end of the match," Vendiola said. "She did what we needed her to do and I'm proud of her effort."
Kahuku also rallied from deficits of 5-2 and 18-16 in Game 3. Leilani Tafuna led Kahuku with nine kills, and Alayna Galeai added seven.
Senior setter Darcie Anderson did a solid job of getting the ball distributed throughout for Roosevelt, which had its way at the net in Game 1. But Vendiola emphasized better communication in Game 2, leading to six blocks that changed the complexion of the game.
Kahuku had just a single block in the opening game, in which Roosevelt tore off an 8-1 run behind senior middle Jacey Tagavilla's three consecutive kills off nice sets from Anderson. Tagavilla had nine kills, while setter Tajana Santiago added eight and Emily Maeda seven kills and three blocks.
Tonga roofed five Rough Rider attacks in that set, including three straight during a 10-2 Red Raider run that helped knot things up at a game apiece.
"(During Game 1) we didn't finish," Vendiola said. "We were in the first game all the way to the end, and we kind of just let it go. We needed to regroup and play defense, and that's what did it for us."
Tonga and Latu swarmed the net in response, flustering the Roosevelt attack.
"It was all about talking," Latu said. "We just talked it out."
A vocal contingent of red-clad Kahuku fans smelled blood throughout the final game, and Roosevelt's gym became deafening as the teams battled back and forth. Neither team managed a lead of more than three points until Latu stepped up to the service line with the score tied at 20 and served out the match.