No. 10 Kekaulike tops No. 4 Pearl City in PKs

The Kekaulike girls soccer team celebrates after beating Pearl City in PKs. Michael Lasquero | SL

For the first time in 10 years, the Kekaulike girls soccer team is in the final four.

Sophomore goalkeeper Kiralynn Francisco-Pu made a key stop in the penalty kick shootout and sophomore Teani Arakawa scored two first half goals to lift 10th-ranked Na Alii over No. 4 Pearl City, 3-2, Thursday afternoon at Waipio Soccer Stadium.

Kekaulike, the fourth-seeded team in The Queen's Medical Center/HHSAA Division I Girls Soccer Championships, move on to face top-seeded Kamehameha in a 7 p.m. semifinal on Friday.

Na Alii improved to 9-1-2 with the victory. They have not lost a game since a season-opening 1-0 loss to Maui on Dec. 5.

Arakawa broke a scoreless game in the first half after receiving a through ball to score in the 17th minute.

The Chargers responded in the 24th minute when Caylie Uyema corralled a rebound after a corner kick.

Kekaulike went back up a goal in the 34th minute when Arakawa drew a penalty kick after Pearl City keeper Naomi Takata met her outside of the box.

Na Alii maintained a 2-1 lead until Kaila Takai tracked down a ball that ricocheted after a corner kick in the 77th minute.

In the shootout period, both teams connected on their first two attempts. Eliana Akinaka scored to put Kekaulike up 3-2 and Franciso-Pu stopped Pearl City's Soraya Santos to give Na Alii the advantage. Ui Kaaihue connected on Kekaulike's fourth try and Tristan Tanaka's attempt hit the right post to send Na Alii to the semifinals.

The Chargers had been proficient in penalty kick shootouts the past two years. They won two shootouts to reach the state final last year and beat Moanalua in the OIA semifinals in a shootout to reach the league championship this season.