Familiarity means zip to the Pearl City girls soccer team, and that is a good thing.
The Chargers (6-0-3) remained undefeated with a 3-0 win over Waipahu on the Marauders’ home field on Friday night, pitching their fifth shutout of the year by keeping goalkeeper Kayla Tanaid clean.
Tanaid only had one threat all night, thanks to senior defenders Kaleigh Concepcion, Tiffany Yamanouchi and Tyla Barnett. Junior Alix Suwa and freshman Nikki Suwa rotated in to help them out.
“They have been playing together for a long time,” Pearl City co-head coach Frank C. Baumholtz III said of his defenders. “We actually play only three fullbacks at a time; our fourth fullback is more like a halfback. It allows us a little more balance in the center of the field and we have been fortunate with it so far.”
The alignment has allowed more than one goal in a game only twice this season, a 2-2 tie to Kapolei and a 3-2 win over Aiea, and held firstplace Mililani to one goal in a tie despite the Chargers being without their keeper for most of the game. Waipahu (4-5) coach Elaina Paredes knew what she was getting into and will take a close loss for her OIA White West leaders. The Marauders shut out Kapolei earlier this season but lacked the magic on Friday night.
“(Pearl City) is very sound defensively,” Paredes said. “A lot of them have played soccer for many, many years, as opposed to our girls, who are just getting to know each other. Even though we lost 3-0, in past years it might have been 15-0.”
Kirsten Maeno broke through first for Pearl City, beating Waiaphu keeper Kimi Kaniaupio 16 minutes into the game with a smart shot into the top right of the goal. Kaniaupio had rejected every Pearl City attempt before then, but the Chargers’ execution was just too much.
“That was fundamentals,” Baumholtz said. “Down the line, cross the ball, one-touch, bang in the net. We call it ‘boom boom.’ ”
Waipahu kept the boom at bay for the rest of the first half, with Kaniaupio stopping the Chargers at every turn.
Still, Pearl City played most of the game on Waipahu’s end and broke through again 26 minutes into the second half when Concepcion headed a rocket into the goal on a perfect pass from Melanie Tashiro.
The Chargers got their last tally 7 minutes later when Ashley Oda went top shelf after catching the Marauders unprepared on a throw-in from the corner.
Pearl City got starters ShaunyBrooke Yamura, Maeno and Parishaan Carter-amorin back from injuries that forced them to miss a combined 19 games. The Chargers visit Campbell on Tuesday with a chance to clinch second place. A win would keep them away from Mililani’s side of the bracket. Waipahu hosts Waialua the same day.
