Hilo volleyball coach Kaleinani Kahananui’s team may lead the BIIF in resiliency but also in self-inflicted mistakes, too, each displayed in equal parts against Waiakea on Veteran’s and Senior day on Thursday at the Vikings’ gym.
The Vikings overcame 42 unforced errors, an average of 14 giveaway points per set, to sweep the crosstown rival Warriors 25-23, 25-23, 26-24 in a Division I showdown that featured all sorts of free points given away, like Halloween candy, including hitting errors, service miscues, and rotational mix-ups.
“We did really well in persevering, and we trailed in every set, and the reason for that was we had a lot of errors in serving,” Kahananui said. “We are consistently working on that at practice. This is a weakness of ours that we are constantly trying to work on. I’m proud of the girls that they were able to be resilient and push through.”
In each set the Vikings trailed but rallied to deny the Warriors, who had just 20 kills and 27 unforced errors, including six serving. Hilo’s stats weren’t pretty: 37 kills, 42 giveaway points including 14 serving.
“It was deja vu in all three sets. The girls worked hard in the beginning, and we just couldn’t finish,” Waiakea coach Ashley Hanohano said. “One of our team philosophies is start strong, finish strong.”
Of course, it’s never a good thing when a team has more unforced errors than kills. Basically, the Vikings were two playing two opponents, the Warriors and themselves and conquered both.
Sometimes, hitting errors — long, wide or into the net — just happen and can’t be helped. But service errors are like missed free throws, something coaches hope are automatic. Hilo’s14 service errors became a great momentum killer.
Still, the Warriors just had a tough time against 5-foot-10 sophomore outside Kaliko Kealoha, who pounded a match-high 11 kills to lead the Vikings (3-1). They just couldn’t stop her and had a hard time containing her. Kealoha kept hitting over the block and opened lanes for middle blockers Kamalei Auwae (nine kills) and Kyana Gabriel (eight) and opposite Trina-D Grube (five).
“Kaliko has always been one of our strongest pin attackers,” said Kahananui, a strong pin attacker herself during her playing days. “She’s constantly getting better in small areas and that overall helps her game to be stronger, and everyone else as well, small little things that allow their games to be stronger as well.
“We wanted to focus on our serve-receive passing, side out quickly, getting kills quicker, having more digs, and investing more discipline in our defense. We wanted to celebrate our seniors as well.”
Bella Vickers, a 5-10 junior middle blocker, smashed seven kills, and junior hitters Shannon Iaea Kaleo (five kills) and Kalley Quinores-Ah Sing (three) helped power the offense for the Warriors (3-1), who at least received solid sets from junior Grace Nakoa-Oness, a BIIF honorable mention in 2019.
“We should have used Bella more. She did a good job trying to get a touch on the block. Defensively, she did a really good job,” Hanohano said. “Kealoha was way above our block. She was outstanding, even their middle No. 15 (Auwae). She did really well.”
In Game 1, the Warriors trailed 22-17 and ripped off six straight points to grab a 23-22 lead on five unforced errors and one kill by Nakoa-Oness, who’s the sister of former Kamehameha basketball/volleyball standout Isaiah Nakoa-Oness. There was one service error, one rotational error and three hitting errors.
But Hilo got a block, Gabriel put down a kill, and Waiakea had a hitting error on set point.
Though the Vikings consistently hurt themselves, they also neutralized that by out-blocking the Warriors 8-1 for easy points. Waiakea had more aces, 5-4.
In Game 2, the Warriors again led late, 19-16 after a Vickers’ ace. But the Vikings responded with a four-point run, capped by a Kealoha kill from the backrow.
Quinores-Ah Sing put a ball down, and a Hilo hitting error followed for a 23-20 Waiakea lead. But when the Warriors tried to close the door, the Vikings barged in, calmly ate lunch and cleaned up with a five-point run, highlighted by consecutive closing kills by Kealoha.
In Game 3, it was the same thing again. Waiakea led late, 23-21, and were so close to closing the door. But Gabriel brought a door stopper and pounded back-to-back kills. A Hilo hitting error then had Waiakea a point away from winning a set.
But the Vikings got a block, the Warriors had a hitting error, and Kealoha, the 5-10 sophomore, shined on Hilo’s senior day with her 11th kill for match point.
It’s more likely than not that Kamehameha will win the eastside No. 1 spot to the five-team BIIF playoffs. The talented Warriors have three legitimate college prospects in junior middle Taina Kaauwai, sophomore hitter Maela Honma and junior hitter Sarah Schubert. The East No. 2 will avoid playing Kamehameha in the semifinals, and will instead get Kealakehe, the only Division I team on the westside. The Nos. 3 and 4 seeds (Keaau High) on the eastside will meet to play Kamehameha in the semifinals.
“We need to worry about ourselves and get out of our head about making an error,” Hanohano said. “We teach our girls to go down swinging, and there was a lot of hesitation on the court. That’s something we need to work on.”
