Last-minute goal propels San Francisco over Hawai'i

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

San Francisco freshman forward Liz Sylva couldn't have picked a better time to score her first goal of the season.

Sylva's tie-breaking goal in the final minute sparked San Francisco past the University of Hawai'i women's soccer team, 3-2, last night in the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

Hawai'i (1-3-1) lost its third in a row. San Francisco improved to 3-1-1. Hawai'i will play No. 5 UCLA at 5 p.m. today at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium. UCLA (3-1-0) beat San Francisco, 4-1, on Friday.

"We had a few opportunities to finish the game off early on, but we didn't," said Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing. "When you do that, that's a bad omen."

Sylva's goal came off a deflected header from teammate Noelle Langston at 89:07. Hawai'i goalie Mahie Atay leaped high to block Langston's shot, but the ball trickled out to Sylva, who booted the game-winner.

"I give all the credit to Noelle, she won the ball out of the air," Sylva said. "I just cleaned it up."

San Francisco's Stacey Caro and Stephanie Gray scored one goal each. Hawai'i got goals from Arlene Devitt and Carmen Calpo.

"This is pretty tough," said Devitt, who didn't start the game because of a sprained right ankle. "We wanted it, but we didn't put the goals away."

Hawai'i squandered a scoring chance six minutes into the game when Hawai'i forward Natasha Kai dribbled past the Dons' defense and lured the goalie from the goal mouth. After a few dribbles, Kai's point-blank shot was stopped by San Francisco defender Laura Ott who hustled back and absorbed the shot in front of the goal.

"Luck was on our side tonight," said San Francisco coach Pamela Kalinoski. "Our team played with a tremendous amount of heart. We didn't give up."

The Dons scored first on midfielder Caro's goal at 21:06. Caro received a pass from forward Caty Harris near the top of the goalie box and blasted her shot over the leaping UH goalie.

San Francisco added to its lead on midfielder Gray's free-kick goal just outside the goalie box at 36:43. Gray's kick sailed over a wall of Hawai'i defenders into the right corner of the net.

Hawai'i forward Devitt responded with a left-footed breakaway goal at 39:23.

Hawai'i striker Calpo's goal tied the game at 68:54.