Despite a sluggish start, Mililani rebounded to stave off Kaiser 2-0 in the Division I quarterfinals of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association/JN Automotive Group Girls State Soccer Championships last night at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

The Oahu Interscholastic Association champion and second-seeded Trojans move on to face Punahou, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up, tonight at 7 in a semifinal match.

Mililani (15-0-1) had a handful of scoring opportunities early on, but a series of crosses into the goal area were either missed or shanked by waiting attackers. Cougars goalkeeper Caliann Fukuda stuffed one of Mililani's seven first-half shot opportunities, punching a 10-yard laser aside the goal and out of play.

“;We sure did start out slow, and I've got to give Kaiser credit,”; said Mililani head coach Ray Akiona. “;They kept their intensity the whole game. Thanks to them, they were able to lift us up. Just watching them, they were inspiring to us.”;

The Trojans finally broke through in the game's 39th minute as Chelsey Goo sent a corner kick to Chelsea Miyake, who popped the ball into the net past a diving Fukuda to give Mililani a 1-0 advantage just before halftime.

“;We needed it,”; said Akiona of the go-ahead score. “;I think any team wants to have a goal advantage going in (to halftime). We had such a slow start that we needed something to look at and say that we're going to work from there instead of starting from ground zero.”;

Despite a disadvantage in speed and size, Kaiser (10-6-2) nearly preserved the tie as halftime neared, which is what Cougars head coach Adolph Samuels wanted to happen going into the game. But he gives credit to Mililani for running a play that gave Miyake space to shoot as the half wound down.

“;We tried to keep it close, and I was trying to make sure that we (went) into halftime (tied) at zero,”; Samuels said. “;I told them at the beginning that you can't lose track on set plays and you can see right before halftime, on the set play that they ran, the girl came in the back door and just knocked it in. That's the way it goes, and then you have to chase that. It's hard.”;

Mililani went up 2-0 in the match's 47th minute as Sasha Moscatello crossed a pass from the end line into Kaiser's goal box, and as Fukuda stepped out in an attempt to deflect the pass, Kaitlyn Holt took advantage of the open net, and converted the scoring opportunity.

Samuels was impressed with how his squad hung in with the league's top team, and complimented the Trojans' team speed, which wore down the Cougars as the game progressed.

“;You put in so much effort to play against a team like that. They just come at you, and they have so much speed. You just have to keep in the game,”; Samuels said. “;I didn't sub as much, so we started breaking down in the second half. Mililani is just so fast. They beat you, and you've got to keep up with the outside runs. We came in fifth (in the OIA), so to play Mililani in the quarterfinals, that's a big accomplishment for us.”;

Mililani is still looking to get over last season's heart-breaking loss to eventual champion Kamehameha. The Warriors won the match after playing the Trojans to a scoreless regulation, two scoreless sudden-death overtimes, and finally, penalty kicks. Kamehameha went on to win the state title for its third straight championship, while Mililani is still searching for its first state crown since 2002.

“;Just (having) the chance to be here, we put last year aside, although it did give us some incentive during the offseason to think about it,”; Akiona said. “;Hopefully we'll be a little more focused in our next game. I know (Punahou) is here to play, and hopefully our team is here to play, too.”;

OTHER DIVISION I QUARTERFINALS

Kamehameha 3, Kapolei 0

Kauwela Neal, Amber Fuller and Whitney Thomas scored for the top-seeded Warriors in the win over the Hurricanes.

Punahou 3, Kamehameha-Maui 1

Karli Look scored twice for the Buffanblu in the victory over the third-seeded Warriors, and Jayann Gabrio added one goal.

Jalisa Chong Kee had Kamehameha-Maui's goal.

King Kekaulike 2, Hilo 1

Mia Minkler scored twice to lead Na Alii past the fourth-seeded Vikings.

Becca Hiraishi had Hilo's goal.

DIVISION I CONSOLATION BRACKET

Roosevelt 2, Kahuku 1 (PKs 1-0)

Christy Watanabe scored the lone goal for the Rough Riders, who went on to edge the Red Raiders in penalty kicks after two overtime periods.

Zhane Santiago had the only Kahuku goal.

Pearl City 5, Waiakea 4 (PKs 3-2)

The Chargers' Dayna Domingo scored two goals and Nicole Kahunahana and Christina Saturnio added one goal each in regulation.

Pearl City went on to nip Waiakea in a shootout after two scoreless overtime periods.

Teisha Nacis-Parker scored twice for the Warriors, and Roylyn Nabarro and Moani Hagiwara chipped in with one each.

DIVISION II QUARTERFINALS

Kailua 5 Radford 2

Ashley Kanoho scored twice and Tehani Linkner, Tiffany Pereza and Cheyenne Kadooka had one goal each for the top-seeded Surfriders in the win over the Rams.

Tori Haughton and Kelsey Pacpaco scored Radford's goals.

Kapaa 3, Kamehameha-Hawaii 2

Kalia Mayer had two goals and Kaimalie Zirker scored one for the Warriors from Kauai in the victory over the Warriors from the Big Island.

Jessica Marote scored both Kamehameha-Hawaii goals.

Kauai 6, Honokaa 0

Ashlyn Ubongen scored two goals to lead the second-seeded Red Raiders to a victory over the Dragons.

Skye Shimabukuro, Brandi Gomes and Destiny Banasihan also scored for Kauai.

Pac-Five 2, Hawaii Prep 1

Kendal Kagawa netted both goals for the third-seeded Wolfpack.

Noelani Enos scored Ka Makani's goal.

DIVISION II CONSOLATION BRACKET

Mid-Pacific 2, St. Anthony 1 (PKs, 5-3)

Megan Lau had the Owls' lone goal in regulation.

Rachel Uehara netted St. Anthony's goal.

The game went through two overtimes before being decided by penalty kicks.

Seabury Hall 1, Waianae 0 (PKs 3-0)

After going scoreless through regulation and two overtimes, the Spartans finally beat the Seariders on penalty kicks.