HONOLULU – What a difference two weeks make.
Just 16 days after suffering a 4-0 drubbing to Hawai'i Pacific University at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex, the Silverswords regained their pride Saturday with a stunning 1-0 victory over the Sharks at Saint Louis Field.
Noah Mokulehua (Waimanalo, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kaiser) accounted for the game's lone goal to improve the 'Swords to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Pacific West Conference.
The Sharks fell to 4-3-1 overall and suffered their first conference loss which dropped them to 2-1.
It was Chaminade's third all-time win over HPU and the second straight win in a conference match. It was also the first time that Silverswords fans witnessed a victory over the Sharks on their home pitch. Chaminade was 0-10-2 all-time at home against the Sharks entering Saturday.
After a grand total of zero looks at the net in the first half, Chaminade became the aggressors in the second, firing off 10 shots.
After 63 minutes of being deadlocked at nil-nil,
Jamin Fonseca (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) raced down the left sideline and lofted a pass over the HPU defensive backfield. A Sharks defender, in an attempt of a clearing header, mishit the ball which found its way to Mokulehua inside the 18-yard box, who in turn one-timed a shot over the arms of HPU goalkeeper Jeremy Zielinski and into the back of the net. It was the sophomore's team-leading third goal of the season and Fonseca's first assist.
HPU had a prime opportunity in the 84th minute when Jair Espinzona fired a shot that was headed towards the bottom of the goal but CUH keeper
Michael Stafford (Honolulu/Iowa Western CC/Kalani HS) made a superb diving save to preserve Chaminade's lead, and ultimately, the victory.
Stafford stopped six HPU shots to pick up his second clean sheet of the season. Zielinski recorded four saves for the Sharks.
The Sharks managed to out-shoot Chaminade 14-10, eight coming in the final 45 minutes.
The Silverswords meet Fresno Pacific on Monday with kickoff slated for 12:30 p.m.
