Kubasaki's Cameron Eavers hits over Kadena's Leighton Botes and Ananda McCoy. (Kadena volleyball)

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa – After a near-miss in last year’s final, Kubasaki’s unfinished business has finally been taken care of.

Most Valuable Player Yuri Biggins and the Dragons beat Okinawa rival Kadena for the fourth time this season, 18-25, 26-24, 25-18, 26-24, to capture the Far East Division I girls volleyball tournament for the first time since 2018.

The championship victory came 360 days after the Dragons lost in the D-I final to Academy of Our Lady of Guam in straight sets. And it came two weeks after Kubasaki, playing as Shisa Volleyball Club, lost in the final of the 11th American School In Japan YUJO Tournament.

“They came back so hungry,” Kubasaki coach Joshua McCall said of his charges and how they took those two defeats to heart.

“They kept saying, ‘We don’t want to feel that way again.’ We only had three or four practices after that, but they were just going at it. I’ve never had a team that has been able to focus on and trust the process, buy into one point at a time and let the mistake go.”

Kadena's Ananda McCoy tries to hit over Kubasaki's Hailey Brassard. (Kadena volleyball)

Kubasaki's Hailey Brassard hits against Kadena's Sara Mei Fussinger. (Kadena volleyball)

Kubasaki's Emily Demitrack tries to dig the ball. (Kadena volleyball)

Leading the way was Biggins, named tournament Best Hitter for the second straight year. McCall said she was involved in 75 percent of all the team’s touches.

“She was all over the place,” McCall said. “Her determination to just keep putting pressure on with the big swing. When it got tense, she wasn’t tipping. She just kept swinging. It was beautiful to watch.”

Setter Rameghlyn Doctolero especially took the YUJO defeat to heart, McCall said. “It’s remarkable, what she’s been able to do as a two-year setter. She’s doing things that a high-level setter would do.”

The rivalry with Kadena “set the stage” for Saturday’s final, McCall said. “We know how good that team is. It’s high-level volleyball, the way we pushed each other all season.”

In defeat, Panthers libero Alondra Vargas had 19 digs, middle Leighton Botes had 13 kills and setter Christina Kehe had 37 assists and 14 digs.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this team,” Kadena coach Gina Fussinger said. “We faced challenges all season, including injuries to two starters, but the girls never stopped fighting. Their growth, heart and love for the game showed in every match. Congratulations to Kubasaki on a hard-fought win.”