VIDEO: HBA wins DII title

The duo has done it the past three years, and they put on one last show last night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Oliveira had 20 kills, and Palmer added 19 and long service runs in the second and fourth sets as Hawai'i Baptist defeated Word of Life, 25-22, 25-14, 19-25, 25-16, for its third consecutive New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Division II title.

Oliveira, Palmer, Taryn Bohan and Brianna Lovett — all seniors — were a part of all three championship teams.

"It feels really good," said Palmer, who will play for the University of Texas next season. "It feels good to contribute to our school's history. It's just a good feeling that we finished our season off really well."

Added Oliveira, a 5-foot-6 outside hitter: "This feels really special. Hopefully, the undies (underclassmen) will continue it."

Hawai'i Baptist beat Seabury Hall in the 2007 title match, and Word of Life in last year's final.

"They've been through a lot of good times, a lot of not so good times, but they stuck it out together," said Hawai'i Baptist coach Myles Shioji. "I couldn't be any happier for them."

Hawai'i Baptist, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion and No. 1 seed, didn't have a single block in the match, but played scrappy defense. Palmer had 25 digs and setter Kayla Kawamura added 13.

"It was about winning each point," Shioji said. "We weren't thinking ahead of what the match presented, and try to win as many points as possible."

Hawai'i Baptist finished 21-2 with the only losses to ILH DI teams Punahou and 'Iolani.

"We worked on a lot of stuff in practice and we knew there would be a big target on our back because we had won twice," Palmer said.

In the first set, Palmer and Oliveira each had four kills during a 15-7 run as the Eagles took a 21-13 lead. Word of Life, the ILH runner-up, scored the next seven points with Kainoa Ocasek serving to get within one. Hawai'i Baptist scored three in a row to get to set point at 24-20. After the Firebrands erased two set points, Oliveira's kill from the left side won it.

In the second set, Palmer served five in a row, including two aces, as Hawai'i Baptist took a 21-12 lead.

"At first, I wasn't sure whether to hit it hard or not," said Palmer, a 5-11 outside hitter. "But I just thought what the heck? It was the last game so I just went for it. I was contacting the ball well."

The Eagles scored the final three points on Jami Grumling's only two kills of the match and Alyssa Rodeheaver-Nojima's ace.

In the third set, Word of Life (18-6) went on a 9-2 run to take a 17-12 lead. Adaiah Hanakahi had the Firebrands' only kill of the surge, and the Eagles committed four hitting errors and one service error. Hawai'i Baptist got within three points twice.

"We changed our defense a little bit, the girls started executing, we started feeling comfortable and we got into our own system," said Word of Life coach LeeAnn Satele.

In the fourth set, Palmer served six in a row to give Hawai'i Baptist a 22-14 lead. A kill by Lovett won it for Hawai'i Baptist.

"Sarah has always been able to serve tough," Shioji said. "When she serves tough and gets the other team out of system, it's a good thing. It worked tonight. We got Word of Life a little more predictable."

Kaena Kaina had 11 kills and Ocasek added 10 for Word of Life, a team with two seniors on its 13-player roster.

"I'm so proud of these girls. We have such a young group," Satele said. "This is supposed to be somewhat of a rebuilding year for Word of Life and they worked really hard. They matured during the season and here we are again."