Maui High Sabers Claw Back for Thrilling HHSAA Girls Volleyball Title

Kahului, Maui — Maui High's Sabers girls volleyball team defied the odds Saturday at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to defeat top-seeded Punahou 3-2 in the HHSAA Division I state championship match. Set scores were 25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-12, capping a season of resilience for the MIL contenders who entered states after a strong league showing. Coach Keala Watson's squad, featuring standouts like senior outside hitter Mia Fabrao, overcame Punahou's star-powered attack led by All-State player Emma Chun.

The Sabers' path to the final included a semifinal upset over Kamehameha Maui, the MIL D-I champions who had clinched their league title in a five-set thriller against King Kekaulike on Oct. 21 at Maui High gymnasium — 25-20, 21-25, 27-25, 19-25, 18-16. Maui High, hosting that pivotal MIL matchup, built momentum from their regular-season battles in the competitive Maui Interscholastic League, where Kamehameha boasted an 11-1 record. This state win marks Maui High's first HHSAA girls volleyball crown since 2018, a boon for Kahului's 660 S. Lono Ave. campus community.

Punahou, Oahu's perennial powerhouse with multiple titles, pushed the Sabers to their limits, but Maui High's defense — anchored by 45 combined blocks and digs — sealed the victory. HHSAA officials named Sabers libero Kayla Ishikawa to the All-Tournament Team, alongside Punahou's contributors. For Maui residents, the triumph resonates amid island pride, contrasting Iolani's recent Division I sweeps in prior years.