HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University men's soccer team concluded the season Saturday with a 3-1 win over the University of Hawai'i Hilo at the UH Hilo Baseball Stadium.
The Silverswords scored all three goals in the game's first 25 minutes then kept the Vulcans out of the net until the final minute of the game in which the outcome was already decided.
Jamin Fonseca (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani),
Noah Mokulehua (Waimanalo, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kaiser) and
Curtis Coburn (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach) each found the back in the net to help the 'Swords win their school-record ninth match of the season.
Chaminade finishes the year 9-6 overall with a Pacific West Conference record of 7-4. With 21 points in the conference standings, the 'Swords completed the season tied for fourth with Dominican, the highest finish ever in the 14-year history of the program.
The Vulcans ended their season at 5-11 overall and 4-7 in the PacWest.
The goals by Mokulehua and Coburn had special meaning. Mokulehua's goal was the ninth of his career, tying
Sam Galloway's career record. Coburn's goal was his eighth which is now third all-time. Mokulehua also extended his school record of points to 22 while Coburn's 18 is tied for second with Galloway and teammate
Reece Hambly (Birmingham, England/Scottsdale CC/Hagley HS).
It didn't take long for the 'Swords to strike. Just 38 seconds into the game, Fonseca blasted a 25-yard shot just clearing UH Hilo keeper Michael Harre to put the 'Swords on the board for his first goal of the season, the fastest goal to start a game by Chaminade player. The previous mark was 46 seconds by
Dylan Taschner who also did it at UH Hilo on Nov. 7, 2009.
Colin Roemer (Cologne, Germany/Barton CC/Wirtschafrtsgymnasium Westerburg) provide the assist, his second of the year.
Barely 14 minutes later, Mokulehua made it 2-0 by firing a perfect shot into the net for his record-tying goal, his sixth of the season.
The Silverswords weren't done. Off a CUH corner kick, a Vulcans defender attempted to clear the ball away from their goal. But the ball deflected off the chest of
Taka Kosins (Tokyo, Japan/Colorado Mesa/Kalani HS) where it found the foot of Coburn who fired the shot into the goal for the senior's first goal of the season and Kosins' second assist.
From there, Chaminade's defense took over, blanking UH Hilo until the 88th minute when Bennet Chergosky chipped the ball in over a wave of defenders.
Michael Stafford (Honolulu/Iowa Western CC/Kalani HS) concluded his record-breaking career as the 'Swords net-minder with his record 15th career victory. Stafford made five saves while Harre made four stops on the other side of the pitch.
Chaminade, which avenged a 3-2 non-conference loss at Saint Louis Field back in early October, took 10 shots with Fonseca, Mokulehua and Hambly each getting two cracks at the goal. UH Hilo attempted 11 shots.
The win also secured the first-place points for a second straight year in the men's soccer competition of the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge after the Silverswords completed the season sweep in conference matches against UH Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific University. The Sharks received the second-place points followed by the Vulcans.
