Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Not often can a goalie win a match for his team in the opening minutes but that is basically what Point Loma's Avrin Yakou did as he stonewalled a penalty kick by Chaminade in the first three minutes of the match to give the Sea Lions momentum early in a 2-0 win over the Silverswords.
 
This was the third straight result for Point Loma which is now 2-7-2 on the season and 2-3-1 in the Pacific West Conference. Chaminade falls to 3-8-0 (2-5-0 PacWest).
 
Just three minutes into the match Chaminade was awarded with a penalty kick putting momentum and the early lead on the line. The Silverswords' Lukas Pousett lined up the kick and went to the goalie's left, but Yakou guessed correctly and jumped in front of the shot to make the save.
 
"AV made the biggest play of the game," Point Loma head coach Phil Wolf explained. "If he had conceded that goal there it would have been very difficult for us to get the result."
 
PLNU would get its own scoring chance less than eight minutes later. Steven Velazquez crossed the ball to Tyler Allen who alertly touched it over to Nico Tagaloa for the goal. This was the second goal of the season for Tagaloa and the first assist for Allen or Velazquez. That was the only shot the Sea Lions took in the first half.
 
With the 1-0 lead the Sea Lions and Avrin Yakou would hold off an offensive assault by the Silverswords over the next 35 minutes. Chaminade would outshoot PLNU 18-1 in the first half, including 6-1 on shots on goal. But it was the Sea Lions that took the 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
"It was a really ugly first half," noted Wolf. "Chaminade wasn't bossing the game but they kept launching them in (to the box) and it made for some uncomfortable moments."
 
Point Loma would find a bit more rhythm offensively at the half as it would actually outshoot the Silverswords 8-7 in the second period.
 
Matt Rose extended the Sea Lions' lead to 2-0 with his second goal in as many matches. He took a shot from 45 yards out that sailed perfectly over the keeper and into the net.
 
Chaminade would have two more shots on goal in the match but Yakou saved them both to preserve the shutout, his second in three matches. Yakou finished the match with seven saves.
 
"This is the first game our quality came through," said Wolf. "It was a positive road trip for us. We finished off the trip really well and I'm very pleased to get the results."
 
The Sea Lions will now return home to start a five-match homestand from Oct. 16-Nov. 1. They will open with Dominican (CA) on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 1:00 p.m.