Lady Chargers Make Return To Nissan Volleyball Tourney
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usFor the Pearl City girls volleyball team, some unfinished business has finally been finished.
Indeed, after a six-year absence from the New City Nissan State Volleyball Tournament, the Chargers assured themselves an appearance in the 2010 state tourney after advancing to the semifinals within their own Oahu Interscholastic Association post-season format last week.
While expected, the Charger Nation held its collective breath, nevertheless. In recent years, a lot of good teams from the OIA have missed the cut, including Pearl City, which had gone 10-2 only a year ago in its regular season but dropped consecutive matches to Farrington and Roosevelt in the OIA playoffs and missed the state tournament.
“It’s been a long time - we’ve usually fallen one game short lately, so it was a relief, and I’m also excited for the girls to see their hard work pay off and to be able to get a taste of the big dance, so to speak,” said head volleyball coach Stephanie Shigemasa.
“Last year we’d had two chances (to assure the Chargers of an appearance) and lost both, which was emotional and devastating for the girls.”
Pearl City entered the OIA quarterfinals Wednesday against Kahuku with a 12-1 record and an eight-game win streak. Heading into the match with the two-time defending OIA champion Red Raiders, the Chargers had not lost since Sept. 7, when they dropped an OIA Red West match to Kapolei, 25-22, 14-25, 15-13. Pearl City avenged that loss and won its next seven matches in a row to close out the regular season and capture the division.
When Shigemasa was a player at Pearl City in the late ‘90s, state tournament appearances were a given. She and the Chargers played in the tournament all four of her years on campus and were the runner-up three times.
Parity in the Red West has made making the state tournament a demanding task.
“It was a different format back then,” she said. “Over the years, more girls have become involved, and that makes a big difference in the level of competition. There were hardly any clubs when I played.”
Veteran leadership has helped carry Shigemasa’s current Pearl City team. Although outside hitter Kaya Chong is only a sophomore, upperclassmen dominate the rest of the starting lineup, which includes Keani Passi (outside hitter), Tanisha Buford (outside hitter), Tabytha Inong (right side hitter) and Kacie Chinen (libero).
“For me, they’ve really matured and grown up a lot this season,” Shigemasa said.
Chong had a match-high 14 kills to drive the Chargers across the finish line in their state tournament - clinching win over Castle last week in the OIA quarterfinals, while Passi added 12. Pearl City had played that game without the services of Buford, who had injured an ankle a few days before in practice. Shigemasa expects her to return for next week’s tournament.
“Kaya’s been playing well,” she said of Chong. “She had to step up her game with Tanisha out, and she did. We moved her to the outside, which she enjoys better.
“Keani’s been playing well also,” she added. “She’s a real aggressive player and an intense hitter.”
Inong has settled in at the right side of late, while Chinen has been a steady performer at libero.
“Kacie brings consistency to our back row with her passing,” Shigemasa said of Chinen. “She takes care of her job. Against Castle, she was on the money with her passing.
“Tabytha’s presence on the court helps our team,” she added of Inong. “She keeps the team loose, and yet she’s a leader on the court.”
Shigemasa and the Chargers will take a defense-first mindset into the state tournament.
“Our hitting will take care of itself,” she said. “Our passing and our defense will have to be on the money - especially our defense.”
Pairings for next week’s New City Nissan State Volleyball Tournament will be announced late Sunday.
Contact Jack Danilewicz at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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