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Punahou’s Dalen Lau made sure her team would find penalty kick success this time around.
Lau converted a penalty kick in the 20th minute as Punahou beat No. 2 seed Mililani 1-0 in the Division I semifinals of the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Girls Soccer Championships on Friday at Pearl City High School.
“I was just thinking about practices. We practice (PKs) at the end of every practice,” Lau said. “I just thought about hitting it on the ground, low and in the corner.”
Punahou got a bit of redemption after losing to Kamehameha 1-0 (3-1 PKs) in last year’s state final.
“Last year after losing in PKs, the kids want to step in and put the ball in the net,” Punahou coach Shelley Izuno said.
Punahou (10-1-2) will face with Kamehameha for the title today at 7 p.m. at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
“We played really well together and our energy was up,” said Punahou’s Emily Daehler, who was fouled to set up the PK. “We were a good collaborative team today.”
The Buffanblu, the ILH runners-up, were awarded the penalty kick after Ellie Gusman delivered a through ball to Daehler, who was tackled in the penalty box by Mililani’s Mari Ige.
“The ball was on my far foot, so when she slide-tackled me, she went through me and the ball,” Daehler said.
Lau’s shot went past Trojans goalkeeper Taylor Howard and into the bottom right side of the goal.
“It was a tough one. It was definitely a tough one,” Mililani coach Darren Smith said of the foul. “It depends on (the referee’s) perspective. From our perspective I thought (Ige) won the ball.”
Izuno said of the foul: “From our angle it looked legit.”
Trojans defender Emma Higashi left with a lower leg injury about two minutes prior to the score. She returned shortly after the goal.
Mililani (13-1-1) nearly got the equalizer in the 33rd when Jaeda Edayan fought off a Punahou defender, dribbled down the right side and sent a cross that just missed Kamalani Yamashita in front of the goal. The ball deflected to the Trojans’ Kailee Wilson, who sent a shot from straight on just over the crossbar.
The Buffanblu’s Lau missed a penalty shot wide right in the 68th after a Trojans player was called for a handball in the penalty box.
“I tried to choose the same spot, but I was leaning back too much and I just missed it,” she said.
Mililani’s best opportunity to score after halftime came in the 70th when Breylyn Bactista nearly got to a ball in front of the goal, but Punahou goalkeeper Xeyana Salanoa just beat her to the ball.
In last year’s semifinals, the Buffanblu beat the Trojans 3-0.
“The team showed a lot of heart,” Izuno said of her team. “They knew this was going to be a heck of a game. Mililani was set out to avenge the loss from last year.”
Mililani, the OIA champion, will play Kamehameha-Maui for third place today at 3 p.m. at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex Field No. 15.
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Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Girls Division I Championships
Semifinals
Punahou 1, Mililani 0
Goal scorers—Pun: Dalen Lau.
Kamehameha 2, Kamehameha-Maui 0
Goal scorers—KS: Ionare Vee, Marley Espiau.
Fifth-place semifinals
Campbell 2, Moanalua 1, PK
Goal-Scorers—Camp: Jezarae Teixeira. Moa: Rylie Echavaria
King Kekaulike 3, Waiakea 1
Goal-Scorers—KK: Ruby Kessler 2, Kaelynn Andrade. Waik: Charlie Silva.
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