Honolulu's Stephanie Kono defeated Emily Powers of Quincy, Ill., 4 and 3, yesterday in the first round of match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in Devens, Mass.

Kimberly Kim, a former Hilo resident who lives in Arizona, also advanced, defeating Mallory Fraiche of Metairie, La., 3 and 1.

Kono, the top seed in match play, will play Tiffany Lua of Rowland Heights, Calif., today in the second round at the Red Tail Golf Club. Lua defeated Caroline Powers of Bowling Green, Ohio, 3 and 1. Kim meets Caroline Kim of Canada, who defeated Courtney Gunter of Matthews, N.C., 3 and 2.

After squaring the first two holes against Powers, Kono won the par-3 No. 3 with a birdie and never trailed. She went 3 up with a birdies on Nos. 12 and 13, both par-4s, and sealed the victory by winning the par-3 No. 15 with a birdie.

Kono, a Punahou School alum and a sophomore at UCLA, earned the top seed by capturing medalist honors in two rounds of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday.

Kim took the lead for good against Fraiche, winning the par-4 No. 14 with a par. She went 2 up with a par on the par-3 No. 15 and closed out the match with a birdie on the par-4 No. 17.

Three other golfers with Hawai'i ties were eliminated in the first round.

Alexandra Stewart of Peoria, Ariz., defeated Honolulu's Kristina Merkle 2 and 1; Cydney Clanton of Concord, N.C., defeated Miki Ueoka of Lihu'e, 2 up, and Katie Burnett of Brunswick, Ga., ousted Mari Chun of Pearl City, 2 and 1.

The third round also will be played today with the quarterfinals and semifinals tomorrow. The 36-hole final is scheduled for Saturday.