The Warriors celebrate a roof in their five-set win over visiting Maryknoll Tuesday night. CJ Caraang | SL

KAPALAMA HEIGHTS — The match at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium Tuesday night was well worth the price of admission — and then some.

Kamehameha fended off visiting Maryknoll in five sets for a 25-18, 25-22, 22-25, 16-25, 15-13 win in the second round of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I regular season.

Kayla Afoa had 17 kills and nine digs, Braelyn Akana added 16 kills and six blocks, and Kili Robins had a double-double of 14 kills and 15 digs to help the Warriors beat the Spartans for the third time this year and improve to 11-1.

"We just had to play as a team," said Afoa, a senior outside hitter. "We really had to figure out what was going on after the third set and come together to finish the game."

The Warriors' win overshadowed an astounding performance by Maryknoll setter Jhenna Gabriel, who had 53 assists, 12 digs, six kills, three blocks and two aces. Four players finished with double-digit kills for Maryknoll (5-7), led by Natasha McClendon's match-high 23 kills.

With all second round matches being a best of five games, Maryknoll coach Luis Ramirez feels that his team has the advantage and is conditioned to withstand long battles. For the better part of the third and fourth set, it appeared that way as the Warriors rotated 12 different players in the contest.

"I think as the matches prolong, it's to our benefit. Our physical preparation shows up," he said. "I think today we just weren't able to manage the last couple point of the match and got ourselves into a hole."

However, Kamehameha coach Chris Blake feels the same about his team as well.

"We believe that we're built five sets, we train for it," he said. "Of course you want to make sure that we win three, but whether if it's 3-0 or 3-2, we feel that we're able to do it because of the training and the things that we are doing to be successful. We're proud of our girls and how they came over and executed and maintained."

Afoa, who was on Kamehameha's state championship teams in 2013 and 2015, came up clutch in the set five with two of the Warriors' final three points. A hard attack by Afoa down the line that went off the block and two defenders gave Kamehameha a key 13-12 lead in the final set. Two plays later the 5-foot-9 senior drilled one into the middle of Maryknoll's court for match point.

Ramirez spoke highly of Afoa after the contest and said that she deserves to be in the conservation as one of the best outside hitters in the state.

"She was a key player for the Kamehameha team that won the state championship as a freshman, and has been a mainstay ever since," said Ramirez. "She's a kid that is very precautious. She shows in her play that she has come a long way in her maturity."

Blake credits senior captains, Afoa and libero Kyra Hanawahine, for leading the team huddle during the fifth and final set.

"Kyra was telling all of us that we need to play for each other and really realize that they're not going to roll over and give us the game," said Afoa. "We were also saying that we need to play hard and play for everyone like our coaches and our supporters, but most importantly for each other."

Other key hitters for the Warriors include Kalina Obrey and Tymane Talanoa, who had six and five kills respectively. Sophomore setter Lexis Akeo had 49 assists and Hanawahine finished with a team-high 16 digs.

Dakota Viena and Rhyenne Filisi each had 13 kills and Moana Tootoo added 11 more to round out the Maryknoll players with double-digit kills. Filisi also combined for six blocks (three solo), but was hampered by a foot injury late in the fourth set.