HONOLULU – At some point of this season, the fortunes for the Chaminade University women's soccer team had to turn around.
After five draws and a tough-to-swallow defeat at Dominican which was decided on a handball penalty kick with a minute remaining to begin the 2025 campaign, the Silverswords' finally turned around, grinding through a 1-0 win over in-city rival Hawai'i Pacific University on Saturday at Saint Louis Field.
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Haley Mo'okini (San Gabriel, Calif./Gabrielino) goal in the 62nd minute was the game's lone score as the 'Swords improved to 1-1-5 overall and 1-1-1 in the Pacific West Conference. It also secured two points in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
The result snapped a string of three ties and one loss to HPU dating back to 2023. It was also just their second-ever conference win over their longtime rivals, the first coming in February 2021 when that season was played with just four matches due to the canceling of the fall 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Sharks fell to 1-3-4 overall and 0-1-2 in the PacWest.
After a fierce defensive stalemate, HPU, in its own defensive quarter, played a ball back to goalkeeper Skylar Jacobsen who picked it up in their box. However, a goalkeeper handball was assessed since the ball was footed back instead of headed, resulting in an indirect kick from just 5 yards out from the net.
Off the free kick,
Clara Slate-Liu (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Ecole Alpha Secondary) made a slight tap to Mo'okini, who blasted the ball past the HPU wall for the goal. The score was the senior's first of the season and the 11th in her career, moving her into a tie with Twyla Hamasaki (2012-15) for third in the program's all-time goals list. Slate-Liu got the assist.
From there, Chaminade's relentless defense held HPU without a shot the rest of the match while being the aggressor with seven of its own after the goal.
The 'Swords' outshot the Sharks, 20-to-5, including a 7-to-1 advantage in shots on-goal.
Maddie Merrick (Parker, Colo./Creighton University/Legend HS) made one save in tallying her fifth clean sheet of the season.
Bryana Yoshida (Makakilo, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Fresno Pacific University/Kapolei HS) was one of five 'Swords to get multiple looks at the net, leading the way with four.
Isabella Narvaez (Vail, Ariz./Cienega) took three with
Brynn Shimabukuro (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/South Dakota State/Aiea HS),
Madelynne Knowd (Ramona, Calif./Ramona) and
Kierra Reid (St. George, Utah/Dixie) firing off two each. Yoshida and Narvaez had two shots on target each.
Jacobsen made six saves for the Sharks.
The Silverswords return to the Saint Louis Field pitch on Thursday against Azusa Pacific in what will likely be the final meeting between the two programs. Kickoff is at 10 a.m.
