[ HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL ]
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Punahou's Aneli Cubi-Otineru bumped the ball last night in a win over Moanalua.
Punahou
still unbeaten
Breathe.
That's what Kamehameha senior Mounia Nihipali told herself when going back to serve midway through Game 2 in last night's state tournament semifinal against top-seeded Kalani.
Just breathe.
Nihipali served for five straight points, giving the Warriors a commanding 18-9 lead and knocking the wind out of any comeback hopes the Falcons might have had. Kamehameha also knocked Kalani from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 25-22, 25-16 victory in front of 1,900 at Hemmeter Fieldhouse.
The win by the Warriors (18-2) sets up an all-Interscholastic League of Honolulu title showdown for the 35th Nissan Hawaii High School Athletic Association State Girls Volleyball Tournament. Kamehameha will face undefeated Punahou (19-0) at 8:30 tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The Buffanblu defeated Moanalua in last night's first semifinal, 25-16, 25-23.
The Menehunes (14-3) meet the Falcons (15-1) for third place today at 3 p.m.
The Warriors played well when it counted in the tight Game 1. Leading 23-22, Kamehameha senior blocker Anuhea Friel put down consecutive kills to end it.
The Warriors jumped out to leads of 8-1 and 13-5 in Game 2 before the Falcons rallied to 13-9. That's when Nihipali went back to serve.
"We had a team meeting the other day, and talked with a sports psychologist about how to deal with pressure," said Nihipali who finished with seven kills and seven digs. "The secret is to breathe and that's what I thought about when I went back to serve. That and being relaxed."
The Falcons got as close as 23-16 before running out of steam, with Kamehameha's final two points coming on a Kalani service error and a ball-handling miscue.
"We knew that anybody we faced would put up a fight, try to give us that first loss," said Falcon junior hitter Tamari Miyashiro, who had a match-high 11 kills and 11 digs. "We needed to have the momentum from the beginning and we didn't get it."
"The difference was in our ball-control and passing," said Kalani coach Aven Lee. "It wasn't there for us tonight.
"It's tough to stay unbeaten. Someone always wants to be the one to beat you. Unfortunately, this one kept us out of the championship."
Kristen Ponce led the Warriors with 10 kills and Shantell Recca was in on four blocks.
Kamehameha will be going for its 13th state title and first since the Warriors three-peated in 1997-99. Punahou, the only team to beat Kamehameha this season, is seeking its fifth, and first since 2000.
The Buffanblu, who start two freshmen and no seniors, held off the pressure of being undefeated and the Menehunes. Punahou used 14 kills from junior Aneli Cubi-Otineru and outstanding defense by junior Kathi Kobayashi to advance to the championship.
It was 23-23 in Game 2 when Cubi-Otinero asked for the ball. Junior setter Pohai Nuuhiwa complied, with Cubi-Otinero putting down two kills to end the match.
"I wanted to ball," said Cubi-Otinero, who has verbally committed to play for Hawaii in 2005. "I just wanted to end it.
"When they (Moanalua) came back on us, we made some good decisions. And our defense was really good."
The Buffanblu overcame a change in setters in winning Game 1. Nuuhiwa left after her left contact was knocked into the corner of her eye with her team leading 6-5.
Sophomore outside hitter Kaui Robello, who had set sparingly during the season, was pressed into duty.
"I was pretty nervous," said Robello, who finished with 10 kills and 11 digs. "It was totally unexpected. But my teammates came through."
The Menehunes held off three game points in pulling to 24-16. Freshman Larissa Nordyke ended it with her ninth kill.
Danie Hout led Moanalua with eight kills and six digs.
"Punahou is a great team, a very athletic solid team," said Moanalua coach Tommy Lake. "We needed a little more of everything against them."
In yesterday's early consolation matches:
Kauai swept Kamehameha-Maui 25-17, 25-21. The Red Raiders (9-3) were to face Kealakehe (14-5) at 9 a.m. for the consolation title.
Roosevelt defeated Seabury Hawaii, 25-18, 25-16. The Rough Riders (12-6) met Kahuku (13-5) in today's fifth-place game at 10:30 a.m.
The Lady Raiders outlasted St. Joseph 25-23,22-25, 25-23.
State Volleyball
Boys
First three days at McKinley High Gym, final day at Stan Sheriff Center.Seeds: 1. Iolani (ILH); 2. Seabury Hall (MIL); 3. Kahuku (OIA); 4. Kealakehe (BIIF).
Tuesday
Match 1: Maui def. Campbell 25-17, 25-18
Match 2: Waiakea def. Kalaheo 23-25, 25-22, 25-23
Match 3: Mililani def. Waimea 26-24, 25-22
Match 4: Kamehameha def. Ka'u 25-17, 25-14wednesday
Match 5: Waimea def. Campbell 25-13, 25-20
Match 6: Kealakehe def. Mililani 22-25, 25-18, 25-22
Match 7: Seabury Hall def. Waiakea 25-14, 21-25, 25-18
Match 8: Iolani def. Maui 25-15, 25-13
Match 9: Kamehameha def. Kahuku 25-20, 25-14Yesterday
Match 10: Kalaheo def. Ka'u 25-23, 25-19
Match 11: Maui def. Mililani 23-25, 25-18, 25-17
Match 12: Waiakea def. Kahuku 25-20, 25-22
Match 13: Iolani def. Kealakehe 25-21, 25-12
Match 14: Kamehameha def. Seabury Hall 25-20, 25-23today
Match 15: Waimea vs. Kalaheo, noon
Match 16: Maui vs. Waiakea, 1:30 p.m.
Match 17: Kealakehe vs. Seabury Hall, 4:30 p.m.
Match 18: Iolani vs. Kamehameha, 7 p.m.
Girls
First three days at Hemmeter Fieldhouse, Punahou, final day at Stan Sheriff Center.Seeds: 1. Kalani (OIA); 2. Punahou (ILH); w3. St. Joseph (BIIF); 4. Seabury Hall (MIL).
tuesday
Match 1: Roosevelt def. Hawaii Prep 25-22, 25-19
Match 2: Moanalua def. Kauai 25-23, 25-20
Match 3: Kamehameha-Oahu def. Kealakehe 25-15, 25-17
Match 4: Kahuku def. Kamehameha-Maui 25-13, 25-19wednesday
Match 5: Kealakehe def. Hawaii Prep 25-21, 25-23
Match 6: Moanalua def. St. Joseph 27-25, 26-24
Match 7: Kamehameha-Oahu def. Seabury Hall 25-19, 25-15
Match 8: Punahou def. Kahuku 25-18, 29-27
Match 9: Kalani def. Roosevelt 25-20, 24-26, 25-20yesterday
Match 10: Kauai def. Kamehameha-Maui 25-17, 25-21
Match 11: Roosevelt def. Seabury Hall 25-18, 25-16
Match 12: Kahuku def. St. Joseph 25-23, 22-25, 25-23
Match 13: Punahou def. Moanalua 25-16, 25-23
Match 14: Kamehameha-Oahu def. Kalani 25-22, 25-16today
Match 15: Kealakehe vs. Kauai, 9 a.m.
Match 16: Roosevelt vs. Kahuku, 10:30 a.m.
Match 17: Moanalua vs. Kalani, 3 p.m.
Match 18: Punahou vs. Kamehameha-Oahu, 8:30 p.m.
