HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's soccer team has been an unlucky bunch. Four of their defeats this season have been by one goal, along with their three ties.
On Saturday upon their return home from their four-match trip to the mainland, their luck turned.
Asya Holt (Honolulu/Roosevelt) scored her first career goal and Chaminade's defense held visiting Academy of Art at bay down the stretch in its 1-0 victory at Saint Louis Field.
Holt's score came in the 14th minute when
Kirstin Wong (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Aliso Niguel) made a long throw-in from the far sideline towards the box. The ball took a large bounce off the pitch's artificial turf where Holt headed it into the net.
From there, the Silverswords (2-7-3 overall, 2-6-1 Pacific West Conference) staved off six second-half shots from the Urban Knights (7-6-3, 3-4-2 PacWest). Hearts stopped for a millisecond when ART U's Katie Williams' shot attempt on a free kick in the 87th minute from 30 yards out clanked off the crossbar.
Randi Fontes (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) attempted a team-high three shots for the 'Swords.
Naomi Takata (Honolulu/Pearl City) faced 11 shots and made two saves to earn the win and her third clean sheet of the season. Nicole Peoples took the loss.
Chaminade defenders Wong,
Dayna Nishimura (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani),
Kyla Takazono (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City),
Lindsey Wilson (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani),
Alyssa Francia (Surprise, Ariz./Shadow Ridge) and reserve
Kasila Carey (Anchorage, Alaska/Bartlett) were stellar, shutting down the powerful Urban Knights' attack.
Academy of Art entered the match as the PacWest's second-highest goal-scoring team at two goals per game and had the conference's tri-leader in goals with Anissa Wilson who had 13. Neither was able to get on track as the Silverswords handed ART U only its third shutout of the season.
The Silverswords will play on the Saint Louis pitch a final time in 2019 on Thursday against Holy Names with a 10 a.m. kickoff. Wong, Carey and fellow seniors
Rachel Arakawa (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kaiser),
Cailla Fabro (Waipahu, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Idaho State/Pearl City),
Ashley Souza (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Baldwin),
Jordan Taboniar (Anahola, Kaua'i, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) and
Cierra Toledo-Muragin (Hilo, Hawai'i/Waiakea) will be honored.
