HONOLULU – Another day, another draw.
Although ties aren't great, they don't hurt either, especially in soccer.
For the third consecutive game, the Chaminade University women's soccer team managed to forge a draw, this time a 1-1 deadlock against the University of Hawai'i Hilo in their spring season finale Saturday. The match was originally scheduled to be played in Hilo but with no venue on the Big Island available, the game (as well as the men's contest) was moved to the Silverswords' home pitch of Saint Louis Field.
Although ties were a theme for the Silverswords, so is a goal from
Randi Fontes (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i/Pearl City HS) who netted her fifth of the season early in the first half.
As a result of the draw, the 'Swords end the spring season with a 1-0-3 mark, giving them six points on the year to clinch at least a share of the Pacific West Conference Hawai'i Pod title. The Vulcans are 0-0-3 with three points. The Silverswords can win the title outright with a UH Hilo tie or loss to Hawai'i Pacific University on Sunday.
Chaminade opened the scoring in the 14th minute.
Tehani Smith (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Castle) fired a long downfield pass to Fontes, who out-raced a defender to the ball near the top of the box then chipped a shot over charging Vulcans' goalkeeper Viviana Poli.
UH Hilo responded 19 minutes later when Daeleen Tokunaga, Fontes' Pearl City High School teammate, got the equalizer.
As the game headed down the stretch, the Vulcans fired a flurry of shots – five in the final 11 minutes – but 'Swords goalkeeper
Naomi Takata (Honolulu/Pearl City) survived the volley, making one save in the process as time would ultimately elapse in the deadlock.
Takata made three saves while Poli stopped seven CUH shots. Fontes took seven shots, four on-goal. As a team, the 'Swords took 12 kicks at the net, eight being on target. Smith,
Caili Cain (Honolulu/Kamehameha-Kapalama),
Saige Kalani (Honolulu/Dominican Univ. of Calif./Pearl City HS) and even reserve goalkeeper
Alexis Chang-Takayama (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Castle) launched shots on-goal.
Fontes extended her school-record of consecutive games with a goal to four. It also gave her 13 in her career, putting her just two behind Caitlin Tatemichi's record of 15. Her five goals also lead the PacWest as does her 1.25 goals-per-game average which is also a school-record.
Sunday's UH Hilo-HPU contest will be at Saint Louis Field which will have hosted all 12 PacWest Hawai'i Pod men's and women's soccer matches this spring.
