The last time Hilo and Konawaena met on the volleyball court, the Vikings managed to push the match to three sets. However, on Wednesday night in Kealakekua, Hilo was not allowed the opportunity for an upset bid as Konawaena won in convincing straight sets, 25-11, 25-21
“We had good leadership out there with Chanelle (Molina), Celena (Molina) and McKenna (Ventura),” said Wildcats head coach Ainsley Keawekane. “Taiana (Tolleson) really stood out as the second setter.”
Tolleson was missing the last time the two schools met when she took a trip to Vanderbilt for a college soccer visit.
“It was great to have her back,” Keawekane said.
Both teams came out a little rusty in the first set. Konawaena had several shots go either long or wide, and had a couple of serves that ended in the net. Hilo could not take advantage thanks to the defensive net play of the Wildcats. Konawaena got a hand or two on nearly every Vikings shot.
The defensive play of the Wildcats kept the game close, with Hilo taking their only first set lead at 4-3 off a shot that missed only inches wide by Konawaena’s Chanelle Molina. With Konawaena up 10-9, the Wildcat offense started to find its mark.
Behind the service game of Celena Molina, Konawaena went on a 13-point run to take a 23-10 advantage. Molina connected on several kill opportunities, scoring on hits across the court, down the line and up the middle. Celena Molina and Ventura also picked up points at the net. Ventura ended the game with a hard shot that found a hole in the Vikings back line.
In the second set, Hilo’s Kawai Ua gave her team a 2-1 advantage off a spike down the center of the Konawaena defense. The Vikings continued to feed Ua the ball and she picked up another two points quickly but Konawaena’s offensive stayed shot for shot with Hilo and took a 7-4 advantage.
The Wildcat libero Ha’ena Keawekane toed the line and served her teammates to a 10-4 lead. She then made a tough kick save, sending the ball over the net off her foot, but Hilo would pick up the kill moments later to end the Konawaena 4-point run.
Chanelle Molina gave the Wildcats even more separation room with a kill and a diving save from the backline which led to a point. Ventura followed with an ace to put Konawaena up 14-6. Hilo hit the next shot into the net and Celena Molina sent a hard shot down the center of the court to put the Wildcats up by 10.
After a timeout, Hilo went on their best runs of the match, scoring four straight points on two separate occasions. The Vikings runs were benefited by many unforced errors by the Wildcats, including four shots hit into the net. An Alizza Nahale-Blanco cross court kill ended Hilo’s first comeback attempt and Chanelle Molina ended the second in similar fashion.
Hilo’s Ua seemed to get better as the second set went on. She picked up a few more points and kept the Vikings in the game, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
A block by Konawaena’s Mahie Kaawa ended the match.
