In boxing, a draw often leaves the fighters feeling dejected, as if they had lost the bout regardless of the effort turned in.

However, in soccer, a tie can go just as far as a win—as was the case for the Kamehameha girls soccer team. The Warriors battled to a 2-2 tie against Interscholastic League of Honolulu rival Punahou yesterday afternoon. Gabriella Yates scored both Warriors goals, and Lahaina Zoller and Jayann Gabrio notched a goal apiece for the Buffanblu.

“;It was a boxing match, there were punches thrown on both sides, and good defense on both sides,”; said Punahou head coach Matt Martinson.

The Buffanblu entered the match with a slim 23-22 lead over three-time defending state champion Kamehameha in the ILH Division I points standings, which awards a team three points for a victory and one point for a tie. Even though Punahou still holds a one-point lead, the Buffanblu have just two league games remaining and the Warriors have three. If both squads win the remainder of their games, Kamehameha will claim the league championship.

“;Any time you don't lose to Punahou, it's a good result,”; said Kamehameha coach Michele Nagamine, the three-time Star-Bulletin All-State Coach of the Year. “;They're so strong. They play lots of seniors with experience, so it's like playing against a mystique whenever you play a team like that because you know you're going to get a good game.”;

Punahou (7-0-3) jumped out to a quick 1-0 advantage as midfielder Aisha Price unleashed a throw-in that sailed nearly 40 yards, ricocheted off Kamehameha goalkeeper Kasandra Vegas, and found Zoller, who popped the loose ball into the net at the 3:35 mark.

“;That kind of weapon really forces you to be on your toes,”; Nagamine said of Price's extraordinary ability to consistently aid Punahou's offense with throw-ins that traveled 30 to 35 yards. “;We prepared for it (in practice), because if you don't, you're crazy.”;

Kamehameha (7-0-2) answered with a goal nearly 5 minutes later as Caprice Dydasco rounded up a loose ball just outside of the penalty box and crossed it in front of Punahou's goal, where a waiting Yates rocketed the ball past keeper Alana Munger.

The Warriors then took a 2-1 lead with 27 minutes to play in the first half as Dydasco took a loose ball down Punahou's sideline before finding Courtney-Rae Botelho on the edge of the 6-yard box. Botelho lobbed the ball over a couple of Punahou defenders to Yates, who converted the opportunity for Kamehameha's go-ahead goal.

Just 3 minutes before halftime, however, Punahou knotted the score at 2-all as Jasmine Kauka lifted a pass from just past midfield into the Buffanblu attack zone, where Gabrio received the ball and deposited it into the net for the score.

“;I was proud of our effort,”; Martinson said. “;The fact that we had opportunities to score, and we did, was very good.”;

The teams tightened up their defenses in the second half, with Kamehameha controlling the ball in its attacking zone for the majority of the period. And, while the Warriors owned an advantage in offensive opportunities, the Buffanblu defense held strong and thwarted a handful of threats.

One such opportunity for Kamehameha came with 15 minutes to play as Dydasco took a pass and went in on Munger, who left the goal to challenge a possible shot. Dydasco slid while trying to pop the ball over the approaching goalkeeper and drew a yellow card by colliding hard with Munger, who corralled the loose ball and preserved the tie.

“;It's really important to win out,”; Nagamine said of the squad's chance to control its destiny down the final stretch. “;You want to stay sharp, and on top of your game. I've been in the ILH too many years to consider any team fluffy.”;

The two squads met for the first time in regular-season play Dec. 13 in a matchup that ended deadlocked at 1-1. Punahou entered yesterday's match having allowed just one goal all season, and it came in that previous meeting against the Warriors.

In games scheduled for Friday at 4:15 p.m., Punahou hosts St. Francis, and Mid-Pacific visits Kamehameha.

ILH

Varsity girls
Pac-Five 2, St. Francis 0
'Iolani 3, Mid-Pacific 0
Goal scorers—P5: Chrstine Tamamoto, Courtne-Cree Aponte. Iol: Twyla Hamasaki 3.

OIA Red West

Varsity boys
Kalaheo 1, Kalani 1
Aiea 1, Campbell 0
Kapolei 7, Nanakuli 0
Mililani 3, Pearl City 0
Goal scorers—Kalh: Collin Sheppard. Kaln: Kris Odo. Aiea: Ezra White. Kapo: Micah Uehara 3, Christopher Wren, Justin Malvar, Lyle Santiago, Adrian Yunson. Mil: Aaron Yokoyama, Jonathan Fukumoto, Westin Alcover.
Varsity girls
Aiea 4, Campbell 1
Kapolei 6, Waialua 0
Mililani 3, Pearl City 1
Goal scorers—Aiea: Alyssa Dixon 2, Jacquire Watkins, Marissa Fukuhara. Camp: Emily Ragasa. Kapo: Kristina Behrens 2, Liana Gualdarama, Celynna Capenioa, Camay Tabisola, Kelsey Wright. Mil: Chelsey Goo, Mari Miyashiro, Sasha Moscatello. PC: Dayna Domingo.
Junior varsity girls
Campbell 0, Aiea 0
Kapolei def. Waialua
Mililani 2, Pearl City 1

OIA White

Varsity boys
Waianae 2, Farrington 0
Goal scorers—Wain: Joseph Cid 2.
Varsity girls
Kailua 4, Farrington 0
Goal scorers—Kail: Ashley Kanoho 2, Tiffany Nakata, Tiffany Pereza.
Junior varsity girls
Kailua 1, Farrington 0