Wahine soccer team plays for WAC title tomorrow

Advertiser Staff

Two down, one to go.

Behind the head of sophomore defender Liz Lusk, the University of Hawai'i women's soccer team defeated Rice, 2-0, yesterday in Dallas, to advance to the Western Athletic Conference tournament championship game.

Hawai'i, the No. 4 seed, meets No. 1 Southern Methodist tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. Hawai'i time.

SMU defeated Fresno State 4-0 in the other semifinal yesterday. Tomorrow's winner receives an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.

Lusk scored on headers off corner kicks from Jennifer Starsiak (25:06), the second from Krystalynn Ontai (57:20).

"I just felt this huge adrenaline rush," Lusk said of the first goal. "I was thinking, 'Please go in the back of the net.' "

Lusk, who scored all four of her goals off corner kicks this year, might have added more to that total.

"She's superhuman," said coach Pinsoom Tenzing. "She not only scored two but she also hit the crossbar on another corner kick."

Rice defeated the Wahine, 3-2 in overtime, on Oct. 14 in Houston.

This time, things were different.

"The team was just absolutely terrific." Tenzing said. "They dominated from end-to-end, shots, possession, everything."

The Hawai'i defense shut down Rice, allowing seven shots to Hawai'i's 20.

"Defense was just rock-solid, they gave away absolutely nothing," said Tenzing.

Hawai'i defeated No. 3 Boise State, 7-1, in quarterfinal play Wednesday.

UH improved to 10-9. Rice finished 7-9.

This is the first time Hawai'i is in the finals of the conference tournament.

SMU, the regular season WAC champion, is 14-3 and has won its last nine games, including a 3-1 victory at Hawai'i on Oct. 21.