Girls soccer recovers with win against King Kekaulike
Photo by Alyssa Urayanza
Senior Kehaulani Macadangdang (2) takes a breakaway, while juniors Taira Lucas (19) and Jrae Viela (13) support in Wednesdayʻs game against King Kekaulikeʻs Nā Aliʻi. The Warriors came out on top and moved up to 2-2 for the season so far.
December 28, 2014
The girls varsity soccer team made a comeback from their previous losses against the Baldwin Bears and Maui High Sabers with a win against Nā Aliʻi on Wednesday, December 26, at King Kekaulike High School.
“They knew what was at stake. They know that they can’t have any more losses,” head coach Steven Mau said. “We just gotta have the intensity to play to win, and not just to play to not lose.”
According to coach Mau, the girls were playing shorthanded with the absence of three of their front starters, freshman Kamalei Roback, junior Quinn Williams, and senior Maile Sur and also freshmen Kayla Tuitele and Kahopewai Mateaki.
Despite this, the Warriors started the first half strong with a goal from junior Taira Lucas with an assist from senior Julia Saffery.
“Itʻs a team thing, itʻs not an individual thing,” coach Mau said. “As you seen from this game, you gotta work together.”
Lucas had previously scored another goal but due to an off-sides foul the goal did not count.
The Warriors and Nā Aliʻi played hard against one another with many shots at the goal from both teams but none of the balls went in.
Neither side managed another goal, and the first half ended with a score of 1-0 with the Warriors up.
Kamehameha Maui started the second half with the same fire they had at the start of the game with another goal from Lucas who scored on a breakaway.
Shortly after, Nā Aliʻi got on the scoreboard making the score 2-1 in the second half.
Senior Sarah (Noelani) Reyes took a final shot at the goal in the last minutes, but it was a close miss, and the game ended 2-1 with the Warriors victorious.
“This game we played with a lot of heart. Everyone came out one hundred percent and ready to win,” Reyes said. “This whole season we’ve been a second half team. We only play hard at the end when we’re down….From here, we can be the first half team; we can start off strong. And now that we beat [King Kekaulike], we know we can do anything because they were our strongest competitors. Theyʻre the team to beat.”
