The Lahainaluna girls water polo team yesterday became the first school from the Maui Interscholastic League to win an opening-round match of the Local Motion/HHSAA Water Polo Championships.

The Lunas, the MIL champion and No. 4 seed, edged Kapolei, 9-8, behind three goals from Michelle Fuller at Central O'ahu Regional Park.

"We're really excited," Lahainaluna coach Will Hutchison said of reaching the semifinals. "This has been a goal of ours all season and something we've focused on all season."

This is the fourth girls state water polo championship and the MIL has sent a team the past three seasons. In 2005, Baldwin lost all three matches. Last year, Lahainaluna lost its first two matches, but beat Kalani for seventh place, 10-4.

It was a day where all four seeded teams advanced to the semifinals.

No. 1 'Iolani routed Kamehameha-Hawai'i, 17-7; No. 2 Kahuku blanked Leilehua, 10-0; and No. 3 Hawai'i Prep edged Roosevelt, 5-4.

Hawai'i Prep will play Kahuku today at 3:45 p.m., and Lahainaluna faces 'Iolani at 5 p.m.

Fuller, a junior, put Lahainaluna ahead 8-7 by scoring with 1:45 remaining. Alana Hendrickson scored 45 seconds later to put the Lunas ahead by two, and Kapolei's Nicole Hagi converted a penalty shot with 15 seconds left to cap the scoring.

"We're just stoked. We're on top of the world right now," Fuller said.

Lahainaluna (9-0) also got two goals apiece from Moanalani Tuipulotu, Hendrickson and Hailey Gill.

The Lunas used a 6-2 surge in the second half to take the 9-7 advantage. Three of the goals came on power plays.

"Kapolei started to fatigue just a little bit and we were able to see a chink in their armor," Hutchison said. "We were able to push the ball up the pool quickly and that's really what we're all about � fast break and motion."

Hagi and Ashlie Salas-Salem each scored three goals for Kapolei (10-3), the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's No. 3 team.

NO. 3 HAWAI'I PREP 5, ROOSEVELT 4:

Ka Makani's Malia Vitousek scored the go-ahead goal with 36 seconds remaining off an assist from Alex Eason. Eason fed Vitousek, who was open on the left side about 5 feet from goal. Eason scored three goals for Hawai'i Prep (11-0), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion. Marissa Young scored all four goals for Roosevelt (11-2), the OIA runner-up.

NO. 2 KAHUKU 10, LEILEHUA 0:

The Red Raiders had no problem dispatching a league rival. Taniya Sifton scored three goals, and Rosie Jaffurs and Minnie Whitford each added two for Kahuku (13-0), the OIA champion. Leilehua (7-6) was the OIA's No. 4 team.

NO. 1 'IOLANI 17, KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAI'I 7:

Aja Kusao repeatedly beat defenders down the pool en route to six goals for the Raiders, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion. Dara Tawarahara added four goals for 'Iolani (8-1), which scored on 10 of its first 11 shots. Kanoe Lyons scored three goals for Kamehameha-Hawai'i (8-3), the BIIF runner-up.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.