HONOLULU – Making their home debut of the 2019 season, the Chaminade University men's soccer team was on the verge of being run off the Saint Louis Field pitch.
Instead, the Silverswords found their second wind and nearly pulled off a miracle comeback.
The 'Swords nearly rallied from a three-goal deficit Friday but came up short in a 3-2 loss to the University of Hawai'i Hilo.
Taka Kosins (Tokyo, Japan/Colorado Mesa/Kalani HS) and
Reece Hambly (Birmingham, England/Scottsdale CC/Hagley HS) each scored on late second-half penalty kicks for the Silverswords who fell to 2-2 on the season in dropping their second straight.
The Vulcans picked up their first win of the year in improving to 1-4. It was also their first win over Chaminade since November 2017.
While the 'Swords had more shot opportunities, it was the Vulcans who made theirs count. Despite being outshot 8-1 in the first half, UH Hilo's lone attempt found its way into the net in the 43rd minute when CUH goalkeeper
Michael Stafford (Honolulu/Iowa Western CC/Kalani HS) got caught on the left side of the net. The ball found itself to Isreal Kalili on the right side who promptly blasted a shot from 10 yards out, deflecting off a Chaminade defender into the net.
Brandon Yasue (Honolulu/Kaiser) was summoned to make the second-half start in-goal for the 'Swords, marking his first career action. But less than a minute in, Kalei Tolentino-Perry fired a shot to the upper-left shelf for a 2-0 lead. A penalty kick later by Jorge Martinez made it 3-0.
But the 'Swords were undaunted and kept attacking. Their work finally paid off when Kosins was grabbed in the box on a centering pass in the 73rd minute. Kosins knocked in the penalty kick for his second goal of the year to put Chaminade on the board.
Seven minute later, another UH Hilo penalty inside the CUH attacking zone resulted in another PK, this time by Hambley, his first goal of the year, and suddenly, it became a brand new game.
Jamin Fonseca (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) had two looks while
Micah Mokulehua (Waimanalo, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kaiser) had a good opportunity in the 82nd minute with a shot that went wide right. Kosins came within inches with a minute left in regulation, barely missing with his shot from the right side of the box.
The 'Swords kept the Vulcans on their heels all game with 17 shots to UH Hilo's six. Kosins and Hambly paced Chaminade with three shots each. Yasue recorded his first career save which came in the 85th minute.
The match was a non-conference tilt and will not count in the Pacific West Conference standings nor in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
The Silverswords will open conference action Sunday when they face Notre Dame de Namur at Saint Louis Field following the women's game at around 3:30 p.m. For the first time ever, the 'Swords will have live video on a pay-per-view basis for all PacWest home games.
