WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – Last September, the Chaminade University women's soccer team had victory against Hawai'i Pacific University ripped away from them with a penalty kick goal in the final minute of regulation.
A year later, the Silverswords nearly returned the favor.
Down 2-0 in the second half, the 'Swords punched in two goals in a span of 35 seconds to take victory away from the Sharks in a 2-2 draw Thursday at the Waipio Soccer Complex.
Randi Fontes (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University of Hawai'i-Manoa/Pearl City HS) and
Cailla Fabro (Waipahu, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Idaho State/Pearl City HS) accounted for both Chaminade goals under dark and cloudy conditions.
Chaminade is 0-1-1 on the year while HPU is 2-2-1.
After surrendering a first-half goal then another on a penalty kick just minutes into the second half, the 'Swords faced an uphill battle against their crosstown rivals.
But Chaminade got the spark it needed when Fontes controlled a loose ball in the HPU middle third zone for a breakaway. Sharks' goalkeeper Gretchen Berkey then charged, completely abandoning the box. Fontes made a side-step move to her right to get past Berkey. The junior then made an easy tap-in for her first goal of the season, putting Chaminade on the board at the 67:54 mark.
Energized with new life, the 'Swords then quickly gained possession with
April Barnes (Anahola, Kaua'i, Hawai'i/Kapa'a) finding Fabro down the right sideline. The senior forward dribbled into the attacking quarter along the right-side of the box and, at 68:29, launched a perfectly-placed shot from 20 yards out over a leaping Berkey into the upper-left shelf of the goal. Fabro's first-ever collegiate goal knotted the score at 2.
The 35 seconds between scores is the fastest consecutive goals in program history, shattering the previous mark of 1 minute, 37 seconds by
Shannon Wright and
Kristen Fujinaga on Sept. 30, 2013 at Dixie State.
From there, both squads attempted, without success, to get the go-ahead score in regulation and the golden goal in both overtime sessions.
Despite not getting the win, the 'Swords did achieve a small victory in it being their first non-loss to HPU in 11 years. The 'Swords had dropped every encounter to the Sharks since their 2-1 win on Sept. 6, 2008, Chaminade's only victory in the series which began in 2006.
Chaminade's freshman goalkeeper
Naomi Takata (Honolulu/Pearl City) made eight saves in facing 26 HPU shots while HPU's Berkey had five saves.
Fabro had a team-high four shots while Barnes attempted two shots along with the assist, the first of her career, on Fabro's goal.
The Silverswords will play their final non-conference matchup of the season on Friday, Oct. 4 against island rival Hawai'i Hilo. Kickoff at Saint Louis Field is scheduled for 10 a.m.
