ILH Girls Water Polo
Punahou sinks Kamehameha, 8-4 to remain unbeaten


  



Saki Migliorato's three goals led the way as Punahou pulled away from Kamehameha-Kapalama late in the second half, 8-4 in the first game of an Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I double-header at 'Iolani School on Tuesday evening. Punahou remains on top the Division I standings at 4-0 while Kamehameha fell to 1-3. 

"I think it's a nice affirmation with of the hard work we've been putting in, but we have a ways to go and we can be better and that's what we strive for in every game," said Punahou's Saki Migliorato.

"Kamehameha is a scrappy group and you have to keep pressure on them and that's our goal is to keep pressure on everyone we play and we have pretty good depth and we started chipping away. We started off kind of slow and it was tied at half and we started pulling away in the second half I think because of our pressure," said Punahou coach Kenn Smith. 

Punahou defeated Kamehameha earlier 7-5 on Feb. 21. 

"Our goal for this game was to work on defense and have them not score as much. Our goal was also to play smart and get the ball into set as much as we could and try do some sneaky picks here and there. I think we were focusing on conditioning that we can last throughout the whole game so that if the other team tires out and we can keep pressing on defense and I think we did that well," said Migliorato on their team's defense. 

"I thought she played pretty well, she was pretty solid," said Smith on Eichelberger's performance as a goalkeeper. "We have nice depth with Emalia and Keau (Fey), Keau got back from a recruiting trip and she's a good field player so it's nice to have her back."  

Kamehameha got on the scoreboard at the 5:59 mark after Maddie Kauahi passed it to Hiipoi Lee for the first goal of the game. 

Punahou tied the game at 1 with 16.2 seconds remaining in the first quarter after La'a Marquez's goal. 

In the second quarter, Migliorato put the Buffanblu up 2-1 after she nailed the penalty shot that went into the left corner of the goal. However, the Warriors answered 19 seconds later after Lee lobbed a shot over a couple Punahou defenders and Eichelberger to tie it at 2. 

With 31.6 seconds before halftime, Migliorato scored another goal, this time from in front to give Punahou a 3-2 lead going into halftime. 

Chelsea Apo tied the game at 3 after she nailed a shot that went into the right corner of the goal at the 3:47 mark in the third quarter. 

Roxy Kiessling's goal 28 seconds later put the Buffanblu back up 4-3 and with 10.8 seconds left in the third quarter Emma Choy passed it to Natassia Dunn for a goal to put Punahou up 5-3 heading into the fourth quarter. 

"I think the girls played a good first three quarters, the last quarter, they looked uncertain and fell apart little bit. But they played a very good first three quarters and executed what I asked them to do," said Kamehameha coach Keala O'Sullivan. 

In the fourth quarter, Punahou scored three goals to put the game out of reach. Kelly Fricke shot it and the ball skipped into the goal at the 5:05 mark in the fourth quarter and Punahou went up 6-3. Migliorato scored her third goal as her shot snuck pass the outstretched arms of Kamehameha goalkeeper Jordan Ehara. With 1:05 remaining, Marissa Miller scored a goal to give Punahou a 8-3 lead. With 1 second remaining, Kamehameha's Maddie Kauahi scored the game's final goal. 

"That's one thing we keep preaching is that everyone has to be an attacker. If Saki's not getting goals, who else is going to score? Roxy has to step up or someone else and if you have a shot you have to take them. A couple who don't score a lot, they are okay to attack and they attacked and got some goals," said Smith.

Punahou will play 'Iolani on Mar. 18 at 5:30 and following that game, Kamehameha will play Pac-Five at 6:30. Both teams will play each other again on Apr. 9 at 6 pm. 

"I think we build on every game and I've been very impressed that every game they come they're always growing, and hopefully they peak at the right time. But definitely I see every game that they play they're doing better and that's what I ask for as a coach," said O'Sullivan. 



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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