SAN RAFAEL, California - Hawai'i Pacific Men's Soccer advanced to the PacWest Championship final on Thursday, getting a
Kelly Takara goal in the 25th minute and a second-half goal from
Paul Norberg to beat tournament host Dominican University of California 2-0 in the semifinals at Kennelly Field.
Dominican had the early chances.
Eduardo Marin saved a Sebastian Jaral shot in the third minute, and after Norberg's shot was saved by Penguins goalkeeper Colin Nestor in the 11th, Dominican answered with a flurry of its own. Adrian Garcia's shot hit the woodwork and Jake Kazlauskas's attempt was saved by Marin in the same minute, and Marin stopped an Oliver Gonzalez shot in the 14th.
Hawai'i Pacific thought they had the lead in the 22nd minute, when a goal off a corner kick was overturned after a challenge from the Dominican coach and a foul was called on
Alexander Arguijo. Three minutes later, Hawai'i Pacific got its goal anyway, despite being outshot 9-5 in the opening half.
Jackson Palladino carried the ball down the right side and crossed to Takara in the 25th minute, and Takara finished near post for his 11th goal of the season. The half then turned physical, as
Noah Clarkson was shown a yellow card in the 38th minute. Marin denied Rolando Gonzalez in the 41st and 43rd minutes, and the Sharks' bench and
Max Toernkvist Angestav picked up yellow cards in the 43rd and 45th minutes, respectively, before Hawai'i Pacific took the 1-0 lead into the break.
Marin turned in the defining stretch of the match early in the second half, making four saves in a span of about two and a half minutes. He denied Jaral and Sharod Williams in the 51st minute, then stopped Garcia and Jaral again in the 53rd. The Sharks answered in the 60th minute when
Felix Leins pushed a ball inside the box to Norberg near the penalty spot, and Norberg finished with a right-footed shot for his fourth goal of the season to make it 2-0.
Dominican kept pressing, and the match closed with some added edge. Hawai'i Pacific's Arguijo received a yellow card in the 62nd minute, and Marin held firm with a save on Garcia in the 73rd. Dominican's Jaral was cautioned in the 77th, Marin denied Rolando Gonzalez in the 88th, and Dominican's Oliver Gonzalez was issued a red card in the 90th minute.
Dominican outshot Hawai'i Pacific 17-12 and held an 11-6 edge in shots on goal, but Marin's 11 saves preserved the shutout. The Sharks led the Penguins 7-3 in corner kicks, and Norberg led Hawai'i Pacific with four shots, three of them on goal. Hawai'i Pacific was called for 17 fouls to Dominican's 10.
Hawai'i Pacific will face the winner of the Westmont-Vanguard semifinal in the PacWest Championship final on Saturday, Nov. 7, at noon PT at Dominican University of California.
