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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Punahou girls cling to ILH lead

Photo gallery: Prep soccer

By Stanley Lee
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls soccer title remains up for grabs after Kamehameha and Punahou played to a 2-2 tie yesterday afternoon.

Sophomore Gabriella Yates scored twice for Kamehameha (7-0-2) and sophomore Lahaina Zoller and senior Jaynn Gabrio scored for host Punahou (7-0-3), which remains in first place in the ILH standings with 24 points and two games left. Three-time state champion Kamehameha has 23 points and three games left.

"I'm proud of how they played," Punahou coach Matt Martinson said of his squad. "From the back to the front, they stepped up. Both teams had chances. It was evenly played."

Zoller scored two minutes into game, knocking the ball in after Gabrio's shot attempt was knocked out by the goalkeeper.

"It really woke us up," Yates said of Punahou's quick start. "You just realize we have to play hard and give it our effort and everything will be OK if we stick together and play hard. We just knew we had to come back hard and if we came back hard, we'd be fine."

The Warriors tied the game at 1-1 in the seventh minute when Caprice Dydasco crossed the ball toward the goal from the right corner and Yates settled the ball and scored.

In the 26th minute, Courtney-Rae Botelho brought the ball down the right sideline, trapped it, and sent it in toward the goal. Yates scored to put the Warriors up, 2-1.

Punahou tied it 2-2 in the 34th minute after a free kick from about 30 yards out on the leftside found Gabrio, who scored from the right side of the goal.

Punahou senior Aisha Price set up numerous opportunities on her throw-in attempts throughout the game. Price starts on the track before running onto the sideline — from 20 to 30 yards out — and throwing the ball directly at the mouth of the goal. Zoller's goal was set up by Price's throw-in.

"It's a weapon. We counted and Aisha Price probably had 26 or 27 throw-ins," Kamehameha coach Michele Nagamine said. "We were put in a defensive position every time that throw-in happens. I was proud of my team because we were organized, for the most part.

"That's a game changer. I'm proud of our team for having each other's backs."

Neither team scored in the second half as both teams tried to use the long ball to set up scoring opportunities. Both goalkeepers cleared several shot attempts in the game's closing minutes to preserve the tie in front of a crowd of nearly 200.

"The defense played awesome, they're very good and they did what I asked them to do, which is more than what most keepers get," Punahou senior goalkeeper Alana Munger said. "They were making it predictable for me."

Reach Stanley Lee at sktlee@honoluluadvertiser.com.