By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
KAILUA-KONA — Hilo’s junior tandem of Amanda Loeffler and Evalani Toledo took turns clobbering kills, providing a one-two punch that was just too much for Kealakehe on its home court.
Loeffler cranked 12 kills and Toledo blasted nine kills to spark the Vikings over the Waveriders 25-16, 25-23, 25-14 in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I volleyball semifinals on Friday night.
No. 2 seed Hilo (15-1) will play No. 1 Kamehameha (16-0) at 7 p.m. today at Konawaena High’s Gym for the BIIF championship, and the league’s top seed to the Division I state tournament, which will be held Tuesday-Friday on Oahu.
In the other semifinal at the Kealakehe Gym, the Warriors swept No. 4 Waiakea 25-17, 25-22, 25-4, using their starters in the first and third sets.
Pua Wong had four kills, and Jeyci Kaili and Harley Woolsey had three each to lead Kamehameha, the two-time defending BIIF champion.
Keiran Cardoza and Kadara Marshall had four kills each to lead Waiakea (7-9).
Despite playing on at home in the marquee match of the night, the Waveriders (11-5) just had a tough time stopping Loeffler and Toledo, a pair of hard-swinging outside hitters.
“It was not our best effort,” Kealakehe coach Duke Hartfield said. “It didn’t happen for us. Hilo has a lot of firepower and we couldn’t answer.”
Kanoe Kualaau-Hanakeawe, the Waveriders’ spirited senior, finished with 12 kills. Leila Lawson added seven but outside of those two the offense was sparse.
Leilani Smith added seven kills and Shavonne DeMattos four for Hilo, which played without athletic middle Chelzie Ulu, out with an ankle injury. She will likely be in the lineup at states.
And when the ‘Riders hit balls over, Hilo junior libero Angel Alameda passed everything on a line to setter Taylor Alicuben, who kept Kealakehe’s block off-balanced.
“Our passing was better and our hitting smarter in this game,” Hilo coach Olino Kotaki said. “Our girls were more focused for this match.
“Angel cleaned up the back court. She would sacrifice her body to come up with balls. She did an amazing job of it.”
In the first set, the Waveriders’ ball-control disappeared when Loeffler went back to serve with Hilo ahead 21-16. She had an ace, Smith smashed an overpass, and the Waveriders hit into the net.
It looked like curtains for Kealakehe late in the second set, trailing 20-11. But Kualaau-Hanakeawe and Teria Kekuaokalani combined for four aces and inspired play eventually tied it 23-23.
But Hilo’s one-two punch clocked the Waveriders again. Toledo absolutely hammered something hard, and Loeffler followed with set point.
“My family support was there,” said Toldeo, who had a half-dozen relatives in the stands. “The team worked together and everybody was on their game. We all played as one.
“Our goal is the championship that’s what we’re striving for. Against Kamehameha, we have to close our block and play defense. Defense is important for us. We’re fighting and working hard to become a better defense.”
