By BILL O’REAR By BILL O’REAR ADVERTISING Tribune-Herald sports editor Hawaii Preparatory Academy rode a strong attack and steady serving to beat the host Cardinals 25-19, 25-17 in pool play Friday in the St. Joseph High School girls preseason volleyball
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
Hawaii Preparatory Academy rode a strong attack and steady serving to beat the host Cardinals 25-19, 25-17 in pool play Friday in the St. Joseph High School girls preseason volleyball tournament.
The three-day, eight-team tournament wraps up today at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. Action starts at 10 a.m. with the Gold and Silver bracket championship matches scheduled at 3:30 p.m.
HPA, under coach Sharon Peterson, struggled at times on Thursday, finishing pool play with a 3-3 record. But on Friday against the previously unbeaten Cardinals (6-2), the Ka Makani did all of the little things well in chalking up the rock-solid victory.
“We did better today,” said Peterson, the veteran HPA leader and a Hall of Fame mentor with the University of Hawaii at Hilo during her years as a collegiate coach. “We had a better flow to the game, our setters did a much better job and we served tougher.
“(Gabielle) Gabby (Ewing) was a workhorse for us and as a team, we just played better. It’s something positive to build on.”
The teams fought hard through both games, but down the stretch the Ka Makani maintained momentum and handed the Cardinals their first losses in the tournament.
“It was a good match,” St. Joseph coach Noel Navarro said. “But we had too many mental errors and we didn’t bring the same intensity that we brought to Thursday’s games. We’re going to be OK, we just to keep playing hard and work as a team.
“But give HPA credit. They’re a good team and they’re very well coached.”
The Ka Makani didn’t have much time to celebrate their win over St. Joseph. They had to come right back and battle Ka’u in a pool match immediately following the HPA-St. Joseph games.
Fired-up Ka’u then knocked off HPA for the second straight time in the tournament, pulling out a 25-23, 25-22 victory. On Thursday, the Trojans topped the Ka Makani 25-17, 25-22.
Following pool play Friday, the eight teams were divided into Gold and Silver brackets based on their records. Those four teams in each bracket will battle for the Gold and Silver titles, respectively, today at the Civic.
“It’s been a really good tournament with a lot of competitive games,” St. Joseph athletic director Chloe Thurston said. “We should have some close games tomorrow (today) and it looks like almost any team can beat any other team.
“For volleyball fans, it should a good day with a lot of exciting matches.”
The final brackets for today’s championship round include:
• Gold: HPA, Ka ‘u, Konawaena and St. Joseph.
• Silver: Hilo, Kealakehe, Waiakea, Kamehameha JV.
At Hilo Civic
Friday’s games
Kona splits with Ka’u 25-18, 21-25
Hilo def. Kamehameha JV 25-22, 25-16
HPA def. St. Joe 25-19, 25-17
Kealakehe def. Waiakea 25-14, 25-20
Ka’u def. HPA 25-23, 25-22
Hilo def. Kealakehe 25-14, 25-24
Kona def. St. Joseph 25-10, 18-25, 15-10
Waiakea def. Kamehameha JV 25-22, 25-17
Hawaii Prep def. Kona 25-18, 17-25, 17-15
Kealakehe def. Kamehameha 25-9, 25-18
Hilo def. Waiakea 24-25, 25-22, 15-7
Ka’u def. St. Joseph 25-23, 25-23
Thursday’s results
Pool A
Hilo splits with Ka‘u 25-20, 17-25
HPA def. Kealakehe 25-16, 25-21
Hilo splits with HPA 25-23, 12-25
Ka’u def. Kealakehe 25-20, 25-18
Ka’u def. Hawaii Prep 25-17, 25-22
Hilo splits with Kealakehe 25-18, 19-25
Pool B
St. Joseph def. Waiakea 25-18, 25-8
Konawaena def. Kamehameha JV 25-15, 25-13
Waiakea def. Kamehameha JV 25-12, 25-23
St. Joseph def. Konawaena 25-21, 25-21
St. Joseph def. Kamehameha JV 25-12, 25-15
Konawaena def. Waiakea 26-24, 25-23
