Third of a nine-part series
With the rapidly approaching start of the 2021-22 academic year, GoSwords.com will look back at the events of the unusual spring 2021 year in which all 10 Chaminade University athletic teams were in competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "A Look Back, Moving Forward" series will feature all 10 programs over the next nine days, recapping the spring and a look ahead to what the '21-22 term has in store.
A Look Back:
On social media, Chaminade University athletic programs have used the hashtag,
#ChaminadeOnTheRise, to represent the growth and improvements of each of the Silverswords' teams. The term has certainly been applicable to the 'Swords' women's soccer team.
Actual competition replacing the traditional spring training with the Pacific West Conference limiting action to in-pod play was unusual, as was all six matches between Chaminade, Hawai'i Pacific University and the University of Hawai'i Hilo played at Saint Louis Field on the Chaminade/Saint Louis School campus (UH Hilo was renovating its soccer field and HPU's Atherton Field, a venue last used in September 2017 but deemed unplayable for spring '21). Because the NCAA canceled all fall sport championships, there was really little to play for at the end although these matches did count towards records. But what made it even more bizarre was what actually happened on the pitch.
Five of the six matches between the three programs ended in draws. The one result with an absolute winner belonged to 'Swords, a 2-1 victory over Hawai'i Pacific University in the Feb. 20 season opener. In fact, their victory over the Sharks was the first since Sept. 6, 2008 when the program was just in its third year of existence, a streak of 24 matches including one tie.
The result was a 1-0-3 season for the Silverswords which was successful enough to earn the Hawai'i Pod title with five points. UH Hilo went through the season with four ties (four points) followed by HPU's 0-1-2 record (two points).
The year also marked the emergence of forward
Randi Fontes (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University of Hawai'i/Pearl City HS) who had a PacWest-leading five goals. Her dominance in the Hawai'i Pod paved the way for her to be named the conference's player of the year, a first for a Chaminade soccer player in school history.
While Fontes earned the conference's highest honor, she wasn't alone in conference honors. Transfer
Hoku Schatz (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University of Idaho/Kahuku HS) was the PacWest Newcomer of the Year while head coach
Michelle Richardson was Coach of the Year. They were joined by
Sharon Cain (Honolulu/Kamehameha-Kapalama) who was named to the all-pod squad.
Goalkeeper
Naomi Takata (Honolulu/Pearl City) showed no signs of a sophomore slump, holding opponents to a 1.25 goals-against average, a 0.18-goal improvement from her freshman season. She also got help from an outstanding defensive backfield, paced by defenders
Kyla Takazono (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City),
Dayna Nishimura (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) and the return of
Tehani Smith (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Castle), back after sitting the 2019 season.
Moving Forward:
Richardson, in her ninth year at the helm of the team, has the benefit of everyone on the roster in the final spring match returning including Fontes, who will be using the season-of-competition waiver for a fifth year as she chases Caitlin Tatemichi's school record for career goals. Three other seniors from last year will also be utilizing the fifth-year waiver including
Breanna-Leigh Bactista (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani),
Tiare Kahalewai (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Saint Martin's University/Mililani HS) and Jenna McClean (Snohomish, Wash./Cal State Bakersfield/Glacier Peak HS) who scored her first career goal in the HPU win.
The team is also bolstered by several newcomers who will look to add to an already experienced group including Division I transfers Gracie Knowd (New Mexico State) and Shayla Padilla (Oral Roberts).
Naturally, expectations are likely the highest it's ever been as they, along with the rest of the conference, chase two-time defending champion Point Loma which is 22-0-3 in PacWest matches over the last three years.
The Silverswords will get their first look at their team in a scrimmage against Tusculum University on Aug. 21 at Saint Louis Field. They will then open the regular season in road matches in Nampa, Idaho, against Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington, the team's first non-conference matches on the mainland since 2014.
Following non-conference Hawai'i pod games at home against UH Hilo (Sept. 16) and HPU (Sept. 25), the 'Swords will play virtually all their contests in the month of October at home, starting Oct. 4 against Azusa Pacific. Senior Day is Oct. 25 against Point Loma then the team closes out the regular season on the road in the Northern California and at UH Hilo on Nov. 13.
Tomorrow (Aug. 13): Women's volleyball
