KEA'AU, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University men's soccer team suffered a stunning conclusion in the season finale Saturday against Hawai'i Hilo at the Kamehameha-Hawai'i School campus.
The Vulcans converted a penalty kick with just 26 seconds remaining in regulation to sink the Silverswords, 3-2, after the 'Swords rallied from a two-goal deficit.
Playing in his final match, senior
Makoto Shoji (Okinawa, Japan/Rio Hondo College) scored twice in the second half to help rally Chaminade from a 2-0 hole at halftime.
Despite the Vulcans playing a man down early in the game due to a red card, the 'Swords were unable to get their motor cranking. Then with less than 20 minutes remaining in their season, Shoji fired a 20-yard shot past UH Hilo goalie Joshua Jasper at the 70:11 mark to close the gap.
Nine minutes later, Shoji got the equalizer on a penalty kick and the 'Swords had new life.
But with time winding down in regulation, a handball in the Chaminade box with 26 ticks left resulted in a penalty kick which Jack Stonehouse converted, putting the Vulcans ahead.
The 'Swords had one final chance as they quickly worked the ball downfield but
Micah Mokulehua's (Waimanalo, Hawai'i/Kaiser) desperation shot was stopped by Jasper with 11 seconds left.
The conclusion overshadowed a brilliant performance by
Jamin Fonseca (Mililani, Hawai'i/Mililani), a starting midfielder who was pressed into emergency action at goalkeeper when he replaced
Bernd Buescherhoff (Steinfeld, Germany/Gymnasium Lohne) in the second half. The freshman became the first player in program history to start a match in the field and play at the keeper spot in the same match. Chaminade's defense stepped up its tempo, allowing Fonseca to make only one save.
The 'Swords took eight shots, four on-goal with Mokulehua taking a team-best three. The Vulcan attempted 12 at the goal.
Shoji's two-goal match was the first multi-goal contest by a Silversword this season and he ended the year as the team's leader in goals (5) and points (13).
Chaminade ended its season at 3-10-2 overall and 2-9-2 in the Pacific West Conference while the Vulcans finished at 2-14 and 2-11.
UH Hilo's win gave them the second-place points (2) in the men's soccer category of the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge. Hawai'i Pacific had already secured the first-place points (3) while Chaminade gets one point.
