Moanalua sophomore Kelci Sumida, Na Menehune's leading goal scorer, navigates past Castle's Bethanee Hanaike. Leighland Tagawa | Special to SL

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Wed, Dec 28, 2016 @ Castle

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Moanalua

4

Castle

1

Final	1st	2nd	OT	2OT	PK	Tot
Moanalua (10-3-1)	1	3	-	-	-	4
Castle (13-3-1)	0	1	-	-	-	1

K. Sumida (26')   K. Sumida (47')   C. Rivera (74')   S. Casupang (79')   A. Dela Pena (57')

KANEOHE — Alyssa Dela Pena scored a goal and assisted on another as Moanalua seized sole possession of first place in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division standings with a 4-1 win over Castle Wednesday night.

Four different players found the back of the net for Na Menehune, who won their fifth consecutive game to improve to 6-0-1 with 19 points.

The Knights, who had allowed just one goal through their first six games of the season, fell to 5-1-1, three points behind Moanalua in second place.

The teams entered Wednesday's contest tied atop the East standings.

"It was all about making sure our girls started off with momentum, getting it there and then keeping it so we can allow ourselves to play our game and not get manipulated into playing Castle's game and give them the upper hand," Na Menehune coach Nikki Dela Pena said.

Moanalua had not played a game in 11 days, since a 1-0 win over Kaimuki on Dec. 17, but it hardly meant time off.

"There was definitely a lot of concentrated practices coming into this game," Dela Pena said. "Understanding what they have, but also understanding and making sure that our players understood the value that they had behind them. Although we want to focus and respect our opponent with what they have in front of us, it was a big chore at practice to get them to value themselves."

Kelci Sumida got the scoring started in the 26th minute off an assist from Alyssa Dela Pena, the coach's daughter.

Dela Pena put a corner kick into the box, which found the head of a Castle player, but was deflected away. She gathered the rebound before serving it just inside the goalie box on the far post to a hard-charging Sumida, who headed into the right side of the net.

It was Sumida's team-leading 10th goal of the season. Her twin sister, Kaylee, netted her sixth goal seven minutes into the second half on a low, driving shot that found the left side of the goal from about 15 yards out.

About 10 minutes later, Alyssa Dela Pena made it a 3-0 lead for her team with a high, arching shot from 40 yards away on the right flank for her fifth goal of the year.

The play started with a throw-in by Dela Pena to teammate Tarynn Sales.

"I threw it in over there and she dropped it back and I looked up, shot it, and then I hit the left pocket," Dela Pena said.

Nikki Dela Pena was careful with her words regarding her daughter's standout play, instead turning the conversation quickly back to her team.

"Nothing has come easy for any of these girls and I push them to see where their strengths are and where they can most help our team," Dela Pena said. "Fortunately, Alyssa's ability on her placed kicks do help us prepare for that. She's pretty consistent on those, so her teammates are able to read where the balls are going and then finish those shots."

Ciana Rivera scored her team-leading ninth goal in the 74th minute for Castle's lone score.

Nikki Dela Pena said keeping tabs on Rivera and fellow forward Danielle Chang (four goals this season) was a priority for the Moanalua defense.

"They've got two solid targets up top and their footwork is phenomenal," Dela Pena said. "They're great finishers, they're visionaries on the field and it's something that we came in respecting and preparing for."

Kimi Casupang closed out the scoring with a goal in the 79th minute on a penalty kick.

The win was a costly one for Na Menehune, who saw two starters exit the game with injuries in freshman midfielder Zoebeth Andrews and senior forward Rachel Elizares.

"We do have players out already this season and this game took two more girls out," Dela Pena said. "Hopefully it's not season-ending at this point, but in any case, it did hurt us where they weren't allowed to finish the game."

The game was a rematch of last year's OIA third-place game, which Castle won 2-0.