HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's soccer team on Saturday bid aloha to the Saint Louis Field pitch for the final time in 2024. The opponent – longtime in-city nemesis Hawai'i Pacific University.
The Silverswords, looking to avenge a Sept. 25 non-conference defeat to the Sharks in Waipahu in hopes of enhancing their chances for a berth in the first-ever Pacific West Conference Soccer Championships, could not gain traction offensively and settled with a scoreless draw.
The 'Swords are 6-4-5 on the year and 5-2-3 in the PacWest. The tie gave them their 18th conference point, tying them with Azusa Pacific for fifth place Both teams are three points behind Westmont for the fourth and final berth to the conference tournament.
The draw does mean, however, the Silverswords finished their home conference slate at 5-0-1, the first time ever the program has been undefeated at home in PacWest contests.
HPU is 3-6-2 on the year and 2-5-2 in the conference. As the tie was a conference tilt, both the 'Swords and Sharks receive two points in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge standings.
After a rather uneventful first half, the paced picked up in the final 45 minutes with Chaminade taking seven shots while HPU had four. Playing in their final home games, seniors
Delaney Buntin (Vail, Ariz./Pima CC/Cienega HS) and
Gracie Knowd (Ramona, Calif./New Mexico State/Ramona HS) combined for four shots which were saved by Sharks keeper Madi DePhillips.
But the contest's biggest moment came with 90 seconds remaining. Senior goalkeeper
Jordhan Kieres (Lakewood, Ohio/Bellermine Univ./Lakewood HS) made a diving save near the left post on a shot by Saraya Burghardt which helped to preserve the draw.
The 'Swords managed to out-shoot the Sharks, 10-to-7, on the contest and took three corner kicks to their one.
Following the game, Buntin, Knowd, Kieres along with fellow seniors
Savannah Breeze Miranda (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) and
Lindsey Wilson (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) were honored for playing their final home games.
Knowd, who leads the team this season in goals, and Buntin are both 10th in career goals with four while Miranda is eighth in the category with five and co-leads in assists with five. Kieres, meanwhile, picked up her second straight shutout.
Wilson, who is in her sixth year with the program, making her the longest-tenured student-athlete currently at Chaminade, had to endure an injury which cost her the entirety of 2021, including the spring and fall seasons. Her perseverance resulted in 31 wins during her career, making Wilson the winningest single player in program history.
The Silverswords will close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 9 when they visit No. 21 University of Hawai'i Hilo at Vulcans Soccer Field. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
