SALT LAKE — In a match that left both teams wishing they brought a bit more, University High brought enough to win.

Chelsea-Nicole Poligratis had 12 kills, and Ruth Tusi and Quynne Eharis had 10 each to lead University High past Hawai'i Prep, 25-15, 25-22, 17-25, 25-16, in the first round of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball Division II State Championships at Moanalua.

The Jr. 'Bows (11-10), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu third-place team, advance to play second-seeded Moloka'i (11-2), the MIL champion, in today's quarterfinals at Moanalua.

"We could've played better," Poligratis said. "We weren't passing well, but we played good enough. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll play better."

Ziona Verhulsdonk led Ka Makani (15-4), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up, with nine kills and Tayler Wang and Bridget Walker added eight each.

"We had our ups and downs but we pushed past them," said Tusi, who added three blocks. "We stepped up and gained momentum, pushed past what just happened and forgot the mistakes."

The Jr. 'Bows led 13-12 in the third set before Ka Makani gained control. Verhulsdonk had a kill to tie it at 13-13, then served five aces during a 6-0 run to put Ka Makani ahead and seize control of the set. University High cut the deficit to 20-16 on Tusi's kill, but the Jr. 'Bows committed back-to-back errors and a block by Hawai'i Prep's Walker and Leeta Grap made it 23-16.

"We just made more mistakes," Verhulsdonk said of the match. "Any team can win, it's who makes the least (mistakes)."

In the middle of the fourth set, Eharis had three straight kills to put the Jr. 'Bows ahead at 16-12. Hawai'i Prep closed to 16-14, but a Ka Makani error and another kill from Eharis helped the Jr. 'Bows pull away.

"The fourth set, we played much better when we needed to," said University High coach Walter Quitan, who added his team had played much better in the latter half of the ILH season.

The first set was tied at 11 before a kill from Tusi and an ace from Ka'iulani Ka'alekahi gave University High the lead for good. University High had six aces in the first set, including three by Kenory Khuy.

The second set was tied 13 times, the last at 22-22 when Grap buried a kill for Ka Makani. Eharis had two kills and Tusi had another to close the set.

"Last year, we didn't win in the first round," Tusi said. "This is a big step forward."

Ka Makani will play Honoka'a (14-5), the BIIF third-place team, in today's consolation bracket match at Moanalua.

WOL TOPS HONOKA'A

Crystal Powell had 17 kills and Kainoa Ocasek added nine kills and nine digs as hard-hitting Word of Life quickly defeated Honoka'a, 25-14, 25-17, 25-14, in a first-round match at Moanalua.

The Firebrands (13-6), the ILH runner-up, will face O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion and third-seeded Kapolei (16-0) in a quarterfinal match today at Moanalua.

"We did really well as a team," said Powell, who added seven digs. "We executed what we needed to."

The Dragons (14-5) were led by Ta'ase Iona's five kills.

Back-to-back Honoka'a errors gave Word of Life the lead for good at 10-8 in the third set. After a Honoka'a timeout, Rayanne Alvarado had two aces, Ocasek had a block and Kaena Kaina had a kill to give the Firebrands a 14-8 lead.

Ashley McDaniel's block cut the deficit to 14-9, but the Dragons couldn't get any closer.