Posted on: Monday, August 30, 2004
Hawai'i struggles in 1-1 draw with Pacific
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
WAIPAHU — Not much went right for the University of Hawai'i women's soccer team last night against Pacific. They were beaten to most balls, and out-muscled off the balls they did get to. Passes fell short, or were too long; shots went wide or high.
Senior forward Robyn deHay's goal saved the Rainbow Wahine from their second straight loss to open the season as Hawai'i drew with the Tigers in double overtime, 1-1, in the OHANA Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi tournament at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
"Overall feeling? It's a pretty disappointing tie," senior co-captain Krystalynn Ontai said. "But the other team came out strong. We know what we need to do, we just haven't been able to put it together."
DeHay scored in the 66th minute when she intercepted a pass from a Pacific defender and drove down the middle of the field, beating two other defenders and shooting the ball under goalkeeper Jaime Souza to tie the score at 1-all.
"Both defenders were playing 'I got it, you take it,' and I just ran through them," she said. "It takes some of the pressure off (Natasha Kai); we need to establish another scoring threat. She's the runner on the team, but she can't be four people every game."
"We need to get the balls into space with Tasha," he said. "She's having a devil of a time playing with a defender on her back. We need to change the mode of attack."
Kai received many balls, but not with enough pace to create any kind of drive to the goal. Most of the passes to her were in the air, and she was forced to head them to teammates, as opposed to putting the ball at her feet and running with it.
In a surprise move, Tenzing did not start Kai or deHay, going with a younger forward line of freshmen Koren Takeyama and Gabrielle Bohlman and sophomore Krisha Kai.
"I think he wanted to let the girls run wild and get the defense unsettled," deHay said.
Tenzing said it also created a better defensive situation for the team, because the younger players will chase back.
Pacific coach Keith Coleman said that might have thrown his defense off, because they were bracing for Kai.
"Both Tasha Kai and deHay are players," he said. "They're different, they're game-changers."
Pacific marked Kai, at times doubleteaming her, and employed an offside trap to counter the speed of the Hawai'i forwards. It prevented Hawai'i from getting close to a goal, and rarely allowed a shot from closer than 25 yards.
But Tenzing said one thing he was happy with was the play of the midfielders, which he said is more intense than years past because of the tough competition for playing time.
"That was our weakness in previous years, but now we can compete," he said.
Pacific midfielder Maggie Barsotti scored in the 51st minute on an assist from sophomore forward Carmen Padilla.
Saint Mary's, at 2-0, was the tournament champion.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
Coach Pinsoom Tenzing said he was happier with his team's play than he was Friday when UH lost to Saint Mary's, 1-0, but said the team needed to find a way to get the ball to Kai, the two-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
Pinsoom Tenzing
