HONOLULU – No team has been the proverbial thorn in the side of the Chaminade University men's soccer team like Dominican University of California.
On Tuesday, the Silverswords finally reversed the curse.
Kala'i Duncan (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) headed in a free kick from
La'akea Gonsalves (Anahola, Kaua'i, Hawai'i/Kapa'a) in the 69th minute to give the 'Swords a 2-1 win over the Penguins at Saint Louis Field in their Pacific West Conference opener.
The victory not only ended Chaminade's 23-game winless streak dating back to Oct. 2022 but also ended a series of heartbreak against Dominican.
Ever since DUC lured then-Chaminade head coach Zach Kingsley to head its program just weeks before the start of the 2015 season, the Penguins were 6-0-2 against the Silverswords with five one-score decisions. To make matters harder to swallow, Dominican had the game-winning or tying score coming inside 20 minutes six times.
In 2024, the heartbreak never came.
The win improved the 'Swords to 1-3. They also won their conference opener for the first time since 2019. Dominican fell to 3-4-1 and 0-2 in the PacWest.
After a DUC foul just outside the box, Gonsalves' free kick from the right side was perfectly placed to just outside the left post where Duncan elevated over a group of defenders for his second goal of the season.
The 'Swords then staved off five Penguins tries including a header that bounced off the left post in the 75th minute.
Kili Chappell (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/Stanislaus State/Baldwin HS) made two of his eight saves after Duncan's goal.
Chaminade struck first in the 28th minute when
Owen Caba (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) delivered a pass to
Nick Lopez (Torrance, Calif./Torrance) on the left side of the Dominican box. Lopez in turned fired a left-footed pass to a cutting
Owen Malone (Carlsbad, Calif./Univ. of Saint Katherine/Carlsbad HS) who tapped in a shot just outside the left post that eluded the Penguins' goalkeeper at near point-blank range for Malone's first goal this season and the first career assist for Lopez.
Caba's second assist of the season gave him the seventh of his career, moving him past Reece Hambly and Tyler Braunthal for second in the career, just two away from the career record held by Colin Roemer.
Dominican got the equalizer in the 56th minute on a goal from Diego Grande. The 'Swords and Chappell fought off nine Penguins shots after Grande's equalizer. In all, he faced 20 total Penguins shots, 13 in the second half, in picking up his first career win. His DUC counterpart, Alejandro Reyes, took the loss.
Chaminade, meanwhile, took 14 shots, seven on-goal, both season highs.
Cameron Rozsa (San Marcos, Calif./Univ. of Saint Katherine/Mission Hills HS) led the 'Swords with three.
The Silverswords will face Academy of Art on Friday at Saint Louis Field. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m.
