Mililani Vs. Nanakuli (9/28/26)
Kealananea Stephens serves the ball for Mililani in set 2!
Their dream of immortality is still alive!
The Mililani Trojans got a real test from the Nanakuli Golden Hawks in set two but came out with a sweep, 25-8, 25-23, and 25-13, at Mililani High School Gym on Monday!
Nanakuli huddles during a timeout to discuss the game plan for the rest of set 1!
It was a night for both Meleʻotu and Ana Olevao, who each logged at least nine kills on the night!
In set one, Mililani and Nanakuli were tightly knit, but Mililani bulldozed ahead with an early and massive 22-4 run that began with a Meleʻotu block to generate the first seven consecutive! Add in another stretch of 10 consecutive, Mililani ultimately ran away with the 25-8 win!
Joelle Fuamatu-Maʻafala with a serve here in set 2!
Set two was a chess match! Nanakuli led a majority of the second set, and Mililani was forced to dig deep!
Nanakuli uncorked an early 8-3 run to take a 10-5 lead! Brianna Namulauti did some of the legwork for the Golden Hawks, and teammate Chey-Lee Agena stepped up with some kills to allow Nanakuli to keep the lead until late!
Gergana Kukin and Noey Shontofski stepped up and helped the Trojans tie the Golden Hawks! A Kukin block gave the Trojans its first lead of set two, 17-16!
e’Lexxia Poland during set 1!
Two possessions later, Ravina Mokiao-Loa began a string of four straight to allow Nanakuli to retake the lead, 20-18.
“We call that ‘red zone,’ and that was the momentum where we’re like ‘Okay, even game, we just gotta get 5 points,’ and that’s when we pushed the hardest!'“ said e’Lexxia Poland when they tied Nanakuli at 20.
Mililani responded big time with some clutch play from Meleʻotu Olevao and Kaniokekai Lau! Mililani scored the final three to get the win, 25-23!
e’Lexxia Poland during set 2!
“We just came in a little too lax and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh! Okay, now we gotta pull us out of this hole!” Poland went on about the second set.
Set three was all Mililani. After Nanakuli scored the first point, Mililani’s Lau executed a kill to reel off 10 straight as part of an 11-2 run! Shontofski had three kills in that run!
A Kukin kill generated another 8-2 Mililani run to ultimately lock up the final set, and Jaelyn Davis ended the game with the final kill to take the 25-13 win!
Mililani improves to a perfect 8-0 in 2026 and are two games away from a perfect season!
Brooklyn Wood with a serve for Mililani in set 3!
“We want it really bad, and everybody’s willing to put forth the effort to make it happen,” Poland said about that possible perfect season.
Mililani will face off against the Leilehua Mules at Leilehua High School on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. HST!
