KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe earned a challenging four-set victory over visiting Hawaii Prep Friday on Senior Night.
The Waveriders dominated most of the first two sets, winning 25-13 and 25-21, before struggling to put Ka Makani away, dropping the third set 25-23 and allowing Ka Makani to hang around in the final set before closing out the match, 25-20.
“We forgot about the basics of playing volleyball. We broke down in passing and communication, but it happens,” said Kealakehe head coach Kahinu Lee. “Volleyball is a game of momentum and the momentum swung to them for a while.”
The Waveriders (8-2) rolled through the first set behind seniors Ismail Souza and Anthony “Head” Trevino. Trevino put away six kills, while adding an ace to help Kealakehe go on an 8-5 run during the middle of the set after both teams were tied at 9-9. Souza picked up two blocks on a 6-0 run to close out the set. He also added three kills and an ace.
In the second set, Hawaii Prep (4-4) managed to take a 5-2 lead behind three kills from Stormer Horton. However, Trevino closed out three straight points to tie the game.
Isaiah Hooper found his rhythm during the middle of the second set, picking up two kills, a block and an ace during a 4-1 run to put the Waveriders up 18-11.
With all the momentum going into the third set, it looked as though Kealakehe was well on its way to its fifth straight sweep of the season, going up 5-0. However, unforced errors allowed Hawaii Prep to go on a 9-0 run. Jake Au added an ace and a kill to give Ka Makani a four-point advantage.
After Kealakehe battled back to make it a one-point game, a 5-1 run allowed Hawaii Prep to close out the set strong.
Kealakehe went up 5-1 in the final set before Hawaii prep came back to tie the game at 9-9. Kealakehe then went up 17-11 but Ka Makani reeled them back in at 19-19 after five consecutive points, four of which came off unforced errors.
With the game tied, Kealakehe finally managed to put Hawaii Prep away thanks to Hooper and Souza. Hooper picked up two kills to give the Waveriders a lead and Souza put Ka Makani away with a block and a kill on back-to-back points.
“Ismail is one of my four seniors and he came up big at the end,” Lee said. “He is a big guy up at the net and he can jump.”
Kealakehe, currently on a three-game winning streak, will be back in action next Wednesday when the Waveriders travel to to Waimea for a rematch. Hawaii Prep is running through a test of quality teams on the Big Island.
After losing to Hilo and Kealakehe, they will now face Kamehameha twice over the next two weeks, as well as the Waveriders and Waiakea.