Iolani Makes Trip Worth It

Undersized, but possessing impressive skills and speed, Iolani High of Hawaii completed its run through the Royal girls’ soccer tournament Tuesday with a 3-1 defeat of La Reina in the title game.

Word of mouth among tournament participants and observers had Iolani a distinct pregame favorite, but the Raiders looked sluggish in building a 1-0 halftime lead.

“Once they score, they gain confidence,” Iolani Coach Kari Morioka said of her petite players. “They tend to come out intimidated. They have to prove they can play with teams before they actually think they can.”

Iolani’s first goal came in the 27th minute when Joni Kaitoku sent a long, diagonal pass into the goalmouth and Kara Young scored after a scramble with Regent goalkeeper Sara Leibowitz.

The Raiders took a 2-0 lead 11 minutes into the second half. Shari Nishikawa passed to Alisa Sato, who dribbled by two La Reina defenders and raced in from an angle on Leibowitz, whom she beat with a low shot to the far post.

The Regents (7-2) cut the deficit in half in the 66th minute when standout midfielder Aimee Thompson knocked a direct kick over a wall of defenders and into the far side of the net from outside a corner of the penalty area.

Iolani closed the scoring in the final minute with a play that spoke volumes about its style of soccer.

Romi Iida sent a long, diagonal pass through the La Reina penalty area. It was collected on the right side by Katie Mau, who in turn fed Nishikawa at the left post for a tap-in goal past a helpless Leibowitz.

Iolani made such plays all over the field in the second half, compensating for their lack of height and bulk with a precise passing game that resembled tick-tack-toe.

“We focus on possession and [scoring],” Morioka said.

The Raiders are also fast, a factor La Reina Coach Joe Laraneta said was crucial to Iolani’s title run.

“Their speed killed us,” Laraneta said. “And we were outnumbered. They probably used 16 players tonight and they’re all very good. The deepest we can go is about 13.”

Iolani outshot La Reina, 11-9. Raider goalkeeper Joy Yoshimoto made four saves and Leibowitz stopped five shots.

The tournament’s third-place game, scheduled between Valencia and Los Gatos, was not played after Los Gatos did not show up. Andy Silva, tournament director and Royal coach, said Los Gatos officials were upset after their team forfeited a semifinal to La Reina for using a player ejected in a quarterfinal victory.