HONOLULU – The magical ride continues for the Chaminade University women's soccer team.
The Silverswords on Tuesday scored a 2-0 victory over Fresno Pacific at Saint Louis Field, matching the program record for wins set last season. More importantly, it also vaulted them into second place in the Pacific West Conference, just one win behind conference-leading and nationally-ranked University of Hawai'i Hilo.
Savannah Breeze Miranda (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) scored for the second straight match while
Clara Slate-Liu (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Ecolè Alpha Secondary) found the back of the net for the first time in her career to help the Silverswords improve to 7-3-1 overall and 4-0-1 in the PacWest.
Fresno Pacific fell to 6-5-2 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
Miranda, who had the game-winner in last Thursday's win over Holy Names, came up with a loose ball in Chaminade's defensive mid-half of the pitch in the 22nd minute. After eluding a defender at the centerline, the sophomore got past a second defender, dribbled to the right side of the box where she fired in a shot which skidded past FPU keeper Monique Neverez and into the lower left corner to put the 'Swords up, 1-0.
Chaminade continued to hold on to its one-goal lead until the 86th minute.
Kira Nishiki (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani), who had just entered the match a minute prior, fired a 30-yard shot towards the net which Neverez could not handle.
Asya Holt (Honolulu/Roosevelt) then gathered in the loose ball, made a crossing pass to Slate-Liu who pirouetted and fired a left-footed shot over Neverez for the insurance goal.
For Slate-Liu, who assisted on Miranda's Thursday winner, it was her first career goal while Holt and Nishiki both got assists. It was Holt's second of the season while Nishiki, who missed all of 2021 with an injury, got her first point since her freshman season in 2019.
Miranda took half of the 'Swords' 10 shots, three being on-goal.
Meanwhile, Chaminade's defense once again made life difficult for the opposition, holding the Sunbirds to nine shots, just the fifth time this season that FPU has been held to single digits. 'Swords goalkeeper
Naomi Takata (Honolulu/Pearl City) got the win, extending her career record to 18. She also got her fifth shutout of the season, the junior's 13th career clean sheet, also a school record. Takata saw her goals-against average fall to .636, the second-lowest in the PacWest.
With their five-match conference home stand behind them and with the season coming down the stretch, the 'Swords embark on what will be the toughest part of the schedule. Chaminade's next four contests will be in Southern California, which includes three of the top six teams in the standings.
The Silverswords open their trip at Azusa Pacific University on Saturday in Azusa, California. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Hawai'i time.
