Rainbow Wahine soccer stops Boise State, 1-0
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
On "Senior Night," the University of Hawai'i women's soccer team's seniors weren't quite ready to say goodbye.
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
Hawai'i defeated Boise State, 1-0, in a Western Athletic Conference match last night at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium, in front of 2,151 fans. The victory virtually ensures the Rainbow Wahine a spot in the WAC tournament it is hosting next month.
Boise State's Stephanie Campbell (22) and Hawai'i's Natasha Kai (5) battle for control during their Western Athletic Conference game at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
In Hawai'i's final conference home game, senior forward Robyn deHay scored the lone goal and the senior defensive unit of Krystalynn Ontai, Jessica Uecker and Liz Lusk, and goalkeeper Erin Chow led the Rainbow Wahine to their seventh shutout.
"It's always great to have a shutout and for it to be our last home game," Ontai said. "It gives us a sense of accomplishment."
Third-place Hawai'i (11-4-2, 4-2 WAC) handed the second-place Broncos (9-5-1, 2-1-1) their first WAC loss and closed the gap between second and third.
"All wins are important; this one was particularly so, because now we won't be embarrassed to be kept out of the tournament we're hosting," said Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing, who added that with four wins, Hawai'i is almost guaranteed a spot in the tournament.
The top six teams receive berths for the WAC tournament Nov. 4 to 6. The top two finishers receive byes into the semifinals.
Hawai'i honored 11 seniors: deHay, Chow, Lusk, Uecker, Ontai, midfielders Sasha Araya-Schraner, Joelle Sugai, Tia Medeiros, Kalena Eaton and Wendi Young, and forward Pam Fong.
"We played from our hearts and we wanted to win their last home game for them," junior forward Natasha Kai said.
DeHay scored in the 24th minute on an assist from junior midfielder Seline Williams. Williams intercepted a Boise State pass and slotted a ball to deHay. DeHay took a couple of touches and shot the ball into the right side of the goal.
"We really wanted to get three goals in so all the seniors could play," said deHay, who said the Rainbow Wahine came out flat because they were playing with a "false sense of urgency," to get all the seniors playing time.
Hawai'i had four shots on goal to Boise State's three, but neither had a shot on goal in the second half.
"I think we came out flat," deHay said. "We've been playing defensively because of our past ties and losses."
Hawai'i's offensive opportunities, while few in number, were some of their best this weekend.
In the fourth minute, a header by Kai off a corner kick by Ontai bounced off the crossbar. In the 33rd minute, deHay passed to freshman midfielder Jessica Domingo, who crossed a ball to freshman midfielder Gabrielle Bohlman, but Bohlman's point-blank shot was stopped by goalkeeper Kim Parker.
In the 87th minute, Sugai dribbled down the entire left half of the field and passed to freshman midfielder Koren Takeyama, who touched the ball to deHay. DeHay tried to finesse a shot into the left side of the goal, but missed.
"We just made a mistake in the beginning and it cost us the game," Boise State coach Steve Lucas said. "We had good chances."
Boise State sophomore midfielder Liane Tom is a Mililani graduate and freshman midfielder Allison Tsuchida is a Punahou graduate.
Hawai'i completes its WAC schedule on the road against Fresno State on Friday and San Jose State on Sunday.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
