WAIPAHU -- Defender Kylie Chun's two crucial saves during a frenetic finish helped top-seeded Punahou hold off relentless Kahuku, 1-0, in a semifinal of the JN Automotive State Division I girls' soccer tournament Friday at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

The Buffanblu will seek their third consecutive state crown at 7 p.m. Saturday against rival 'Iolani in an all-Interscholastic League of Honolulu finale. They split their two regular season meetings.

Kendra Trifonovitch scored from about five yards out from the right side at 57:41 for the game's only score.

Although the game was close, Punahou had an edge in control, holding the Red Raiders to just one shot on goal in the first half. But in the closing minutes, desperately trying to tie the game, Kahuku had a number of near-misses. Twice Chun got behind goalkeeper Anu Kahele-Manners to save shots.

"Kylie was stellar," Punahou coach Matt Martinson said. "She's an instinctive player to begin with and knows how to be in the right place at the right time. And I"m glad she was again."

Chun, a sophomore and an all-tournament defender last year, was well aware of her surroundings and situation to backup Kahele-Manners when the goal area looked like chaos.

"She got my back, so I got hers," Chun said.

Kahuku had 10 of its 11 shots on goal in the second half.

"They turned up the heat," Punahou coach Matt Martinson said of Kahuku (9-7-3). "We had the heat on for 75 minutes and they came back were just relentless. The height difference was a factor. They kept getting throw-ins and getting the ball in front of the goal, so we just had to body-up and hope that we could keep it out."

Punahou had a first-half score nullified by an off-sides.

For Kahuku, it has been a storybook season.

The Red Raiders were the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's sixth-place team. In at true seeding situation, they would have likely been the 12th seed of the 12-team tourney. They changed coaches about four games into the season. Glenn Fujita and his staff were promoted from the JV; they ended up coaching both teams.

"It was a tremendous run for our girls," Fujita said. "We went through so much the whole season. Nobody expected us to do this, except ourselves. We're so proud of our girls for bringing forward this kind of effort today against Punahou."

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