Moanalua trying to break 8-year drought for OIA East in girls soccer

Tichalynn Barroga scored on a penalty kick in the 63rd minute to give Moanalua a 2-1 victory over Campbell in the late semifinal between two unbeaten teams in the OIA girls soccer semifinals on Thursday at Kapolei.

Moanalua (9-0-2) moves on to play Mililani in Saturday’s championship game at Kapolei.

Na Menehune will be trying for their fourth OIA title and first since 2012, which was also the last time a team from the East won the league crown.

“It was something that was heavy on my heart,” Barroga said of her game-winning goal. “I was kind of panicking. I don’t usually take PKs. We’ve been practicing it and I felt confident once I stepped up to the plate.

Earlier, in the 16th minute, Na Menehune took a 1-0 lead on Taylor Hayes’ booming shot from 35 yards out.

Campbell tied it at 1-all in the 25th minute on Jourdyn Curran’s blast from 12 yards out on a pass from Haley Blossom Seleni.

The Sabers (9-1-2) will play Aiea in Friday’s third-place match. They also will join Moanalua in next month’s state D-I tournament.

When the score was knotted at one, Campbell’s Athena Edwards nearly had a go-ahead goal, but her shot from about 10 yards out hit the post.

With less than two minutes left, Na Menehune goalkeeper Alexis Davis came up big twice — on a hard 35-yard shot by Cheyenne Mattos and then on a header from point-blank range by Edwards.

Looking toward Saturday’s matchup against the Trojans, Moanalua coach Nikki Dela Pena said, “Mililani is a powerhouse any given season. They’re always a great team coming out of the West and representing the state, too. We’re going to have to come up with our best game.”

OIA Playoffs