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Seven years is a long time, but Moanalua made it worth the wait.
Zaria Queen and Jerney Tang-Silva pounded 16 kills each as No. 2 Moanalua fought off 10th-ranked Kapolei 25-23, 25-17, 22-25, 25-14 to capture the OIA Division I girls volleyball championship on Wednesday night.
Queen also had a team-high three aces for Moanalua, which went 13-0 in league play.
A raucous crowd at Mililani saw Kapolei push a Na Menehune team that had lost only one set through the regular season. The teams met once this season at the Hawaii Invitational. Kapolei's progress made it a tough night for Moanalua (25-4 overall), which rose to a new level by necessity.
"It's been an awesome ride, definitely, for all of our seniors. Plenty of our girls have been with us for three years now. It's really sweet that in their senior year, they finally get the OIA championship," Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting said. "Kapolei really pushed us. We played them at the beginning of the season, and their defense, especially when they served us tougher, we kind of struggled."
Kaila Kalama-Bajet added nine kills, two aces and 21 assists, while Chloe Fukumitsu tallied six kills and middle Surfia Grounds had five. Jayde Taamu-Perifanos dished 12 assists and had two aces.
The league title is Moanalua's first since 2017, and the fourth overall under Cabanting. The title also means Moanalua will have a first-round bye at the New City Nissan/HHSAA State Championships.
Kapolei (20-9 overall) got 20 kills from Leila Paraoan, as well as nine kills and 14 assists from Anny Scott. Tehani Faasuamanu tallied 11 assists, while Asa Parks and Ayedasyn Vaesau chipped in five kills each.
"Our work ethic has been really good. It's been kind of a roller coaster, but now we have some consistency," Hurricanes coach Naidah Gamurot said.
Kapolei's only OIA girls volleyball title was in 2008 under Gamurot.
"Moanalua is awesome. Seeing them and Kahuku, we knew there was a lot of power coming down the pipeline."
Moanalua swept Kalaheo 25-21, 25-14, 25-17 in the semifinal round. Kapolei edged Kahuku in five sets in the semifinals, 18-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 15-4.
Kapolei led for a good stretch of the first set, but Queen sparked the go-ahead rally. She had a kill, then an ace to give Moanalua an 18-17 lead. Tang-Silva's roll shot from the right side, plus two more kills by Queen helped open the lead to 24-20.
The Hurricanes got back-to-back kills from Paraoan, and sophomore Scott's kill on an overpass got them within 24-23.
Queen then ended the opening set with her sixth kill.
Set two was Moanalua asserting control, opening an 11-6 lead. Kapolei got no closer than four points as Tang-Silva ripped three more kills and Queen tallied four, including two on tips. Queen's 10th kill of the match ended the set, opening Moanalua's lead to 2-0 in the match.
The 'Canes finally put a complete set together with senior Faasuamanu at setter, moving setter Anny Scott to opposite. Paraoan had five kills and an ace in the fourth set. Kapolei broke a 20-all tie with back-to-back aces by Tiana Dela Cruz. Paraoan's three kills provided the next three points as the Hurricanes stayed alive.
Set four was all Moanalua. Freshman Grounds and Tang-Silva had roofs, while another ace by Queen stoked Na Menehune to a commanding 15-5 lead.