Brien Ing | ScoringLive
January 29, 2014, 11:45pm
Kapolei holds off Moanalua for 1-0 win in OIA Red quarters
Kapolei weathered early rain, constant wind and a late flurry of action on goal by Moanalua to come away with a 1-0 victory in a quarterfinal match of the OIA Red boys soccer playoffs at Kaiser Stadium.
"We were fortunate to get the goal, but that was the mindset and the gameplan. Take the wind early, dictate our style, get a lead and play from there," said Kapolei head coach Ryan Lau.
Shandon Hopeau put the Hurricanes on the board by converting a penalty kick with less than a minute left in the first half, and Makana Breault makes two key stops in the final moments to help hold off equalizer-minded Na Menehune, who enjoyed the benefit of the wind down the stretch, for the final forty to preserve the win.
The Hurricanes kept the ball on the Na Menehune side of the field for much of the first half, advancing the ball from the midfield into the attacking area despite the challenging conditions.
That offensive ball pressure finally paid off in the 40th minute, when Garrison Lee drew a foul in the box and Hopeau tucked the ensuing penalty kick into the right corner of the goal to put the Hurricanes ahead.
We were playing a little bit direct, we knew we had the wind. On the play, we won it with our left back (Lee), and we were able to combine it between him, our center midfielder Sheldon Hopeau, back to our defensive mid Dakota Kato back to Lee back to Shandon and back to Lee and then pushed in," said Lau.
As it was in the first half, chances were thre for the Hurricanes, but the insurance goal eluded the West second-seed, and the play of Na Menehune keeper Nathan Higa was a definite factor.
"A couple of times we had a chance to shoot it, but we just got the ball high. On this kind of field you've got to keep it low," remarked Lau. "And I think the goalie make two good saves, especially in the second half."
Kapolei keeper Breault got most of his work in the second half, where Moanalua pushed much harder offensively both by purpose and by virtue of favorable wind direction. But he clearly earned the majority of his keep in the closing two minutes, during a trio of chances by Na Menehune that forced the sophomore to make a diving stop on one chance and a leaping grab on another to prevent the tying score.
"My backs are always there for me, they know where to be and stuff. So they make me look good, cause there usually aren't a lot of shots taken on me." said Breault.
With the win, Kapolei advances on to face the winner of the Kalaheo-Kalani quarterfinal at Mililani's John Kauinana Stadium Thursday, under what will be conditions more favorable to the Hurricanes' style of play.
"We understood coming into Kaiser (Stadium) that its gonna be tougher, becuase the field is going to make the game change a little, your touch is not going to be there, surefootedness," said Lau. "Hopefully tomorrow, its a field turf surface, we can get back to playing the game our way."
