Rainbows blank Spartans in soccer

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i women's soccer team got two goals from old reliable Natasha Kai and three from surprise scorers in a 5-0 victory over San Jose State yesterday at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

Natalie Groenewoud (13:38) and Pam Fong (26:24) scored their first goals of the season, Kalena Eaton (11:33) scored her third and Kai knocked in her 26th (33:52) and 27th (45:32) in the Rainbows' Western Athletic Conference regular-season finale before 781.

Hawai'i (13-4-1, 7-1) surpassed the 1999 squad (12-7-1) for most wins in a season, and last year's squad (6-2) for most conference victories.

"I think it's a complete team," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said. "We have superb goalkeepers and the makeup of the entire team is solid."

The Rainbows will end their season Oct. 27 against BYU before heading to the WAC Tournament, Nov. 6-8, in Houston.

The Rainbows played without second-leading scorer Arlene Devitt last night because of an alleged spitting incident Friday against Fresno State.

Eaton scored off a rebound of her penalty kick. Her shot to the left of goal keeper Adrienne Herbst was blocked, but she charged in and tapped in the loose ball.

The penalty kick was set up after Joelle Sugai delivered a pass behind the defense to Kai, who was tripped by Herbst in front of the goal.

Fong's goal came after she received a pass from Sasha Araya-Schraner about 40 yards away from the goal, spun around and put her shot into the top right corner of the net.

"Plain and simple, we made mistakes and they scored and we didn't capitalize on any of our chances," said Spartans interim coach Cris Gilmore.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8041.