StarBulletin.com

Moanalua tops Farrington


By

POSTED: Thursday, September 10, 2009

Moanalua spoiled the fun again for the Farrington Governors.

Less than a week after rallying for a three-set win, Na Menehune came back again for a 25-23, 26-24 sweep at Farrington's Richard Kitamura Memorial Fieldhouse.

Fourth-ranked Moanalua improved to 6-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East. Ninth-ranked Farrington slipped to 4-3.

Gabby Matautia, who started off slowly, had 13 kills (.333) to spark Moanalua. Her team trailed 22-16 in the opening set, but she came through with four kills in a 7-0 run by the visitors.

Farrington's Brandy Vergado-Duclayan tapped down an easy kill off a bad Moanalua pass to tie it at 23-all, but Matautia slammed another kill off a block. Tasha Meyer then put the game away for Moanalua with a kill from the right side.

In the second set, Farrington fell behind 7-2 before rallying. Fraustina Sagapolu's powerful, flat-footed serve netted four points in a row, including an ace that gave the Govs a 9-8 lead.

From there, the lead changed hands five more times.

Farrington had an 18-16 lead after a kill by Fenumiai Tofilau, but the next sequence of points was baffling.

A serve by Sagapolu went long, cutting Farrington's lead to 18-17. On the next point, Meyer delivered an ace for Moanalua, and instead of an 18-all score, it was changed to 19-17 in Moanalua's favor.

“;I should've gone to question that,”; Farrington coach Reagan Agena said. “;But I'm not too sure how much difference that could've made.”;

Another ace by Meyer made it 20-17, Moanalua.

Farrington's bench noticed the scoring error, but elected not to question it.

Still, the Govs scored the next three points, getting blocks from Desiree Klemin and Janell Nance to tie it at 20.

The set was tied again at 24-all after Moanalua's Carsen Mata sent her serve long. However, Matautia and Meyer had back-to-back kills from the right side to clinch the win for Moanalua.

Tofilau had five kills to lead Farrington, which hit .212 (four hitting errors) and outblocked Moanalua 5-2.

Erin Perez added 10 kills for Moanalua, which hit .216 (14 hitting errors).

“;We actually dug the ball really well,”; Na Menehune coach Tommy Lake said.