Fueled by a bit of revenge, the Iolani boys volleyball team defeated Hawai'i Baptist, 25-20, 25-19, in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu match yesterday at Iolani.

The teams met in preseason, when the Eagles defeated the Raiders in a one-game championship match of the Longy Okamoto Classic.

Yesterday, it wasn't as competitive.

"They improved on their blocking, ball-handling, all areas," Hawai'i Baptist (2-2) coach Teoni Obrey said. "They're a really well-coached team."

Iolani (4-0) coach Mike Among said the Raiders weren't prepared the first time it faced Hawai'i Baptist, and watched game film for yesterday's match.

"We felt we didn't give it our best effort (during preseason), so we wanted to make a statement," Iolani senior Kawika Shoji said.

A part of that statement took the form of an improved block.

"We're blocking better, we're pressing over," Shoji said. "We got big blocks at big times."

Iolani also served tough, creating havoc for HBA's offense. And, "because of our lack of size, we need to pass," Obrey said.

Hawai'i Baptist's passing sent setter Scott Fujimoto scrambling, forcing him to set his hitters straight into the Iolani double teams, or against Shoji, the 2004 Advertiser co-State Player of the Year.

Iolani had seven blocks, with the 6-foot-3 Shoji in on four. Along with 6-foot-6 sophomore Brad Lawson, the Raiders towered over the Eagles, whose taller hitters averaged about 6-feet.

"We have been working hard on blocking at practice," said Among, in his first year at Iolani. "It's beginning to click in their heads. We'll have a nice block one time, and then we're all over the place other times."

The teams started slowly in the first game before Iolani started to pull away behind the serving of Joshua Starbuck, whose float serves scored four straight to give the Raiders a 16-8 lead.

Iolani built a 20-11 lead, but committed two hitting and two serving errors and stalled on its 24th point. The Eagles, with help from two more Iolani errors and kills by Sean Lum and Joshua Thompson, scored four straight to make it 24-20 before Shoji ended the game with a kill.

Iolani led the entire second game, but Hawai'i Baptist never trailed by more than 3 — and was as close as 11-9 — until Iolani went on a 7-2 run to make it 18-11. The Eagles closed to 22-19, but Iolani finished the match with a solo block by Shoji and a double block by Starbuck and Barry Kang.

"It's a cliche, but defense wins championships," Among said of his team's blocking. "We can improve. We're nowhere near where we need to be to contend for the title."

Shoji led Iolani, which competes in Division I, with eight kills. Lawson added seven and Kang six. Dominic Hart had a team-high seven kills for Hawai'i Baptist, which competes in Division II.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.