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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 8:31 p.m., Sunday, November 4, 2007

UH women rip Idaho, 7-0, win WAC soccer title

By LEILA WAI
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Rainbow Wahine soccer team said goodbye to its seniors and hello to the conference title after a 7-0 win over Idaho tonight.

Hawai'i won its third Western Athletic Conference title behind a hat trick by Kelli-Anne Chang and two goals apiece by junior midfielder Taryn Fukuroku and sophomore forward Ambree Ako to close out the regular season at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium, often playing in a downpour in front of 770 rain-soaked fans.

"I thought they played brilliantly; out of this world," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said. "They put the game away early and it allowed us to play the entire team."

Seniors Jessica Domingo, Shawn Higa, Koren Takeyama, Lehua Wood and Aimee Watanabe played their last games in the WPSS, but the Rainbow Wahine (13-4-2, 6-1-0 WAC) continue on as the top seed in the WAC tournament where it receives a first-round bye. The Rainbow Wahine have yet to win the WAC tournament, which would give them an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Tenzing said he's "really, really sad" to see this group go.

"This is the lot that turned everything around," he said.

"I'm sad, of course," Domingo said. "I want to thank the fans for staying even if it was a rainy day. It's definitely a game I'll never forget.

"It was a good win because in the past, if we knew it was an easier team we would let down. But we came out on fire."

Hawai'i takes its school-record tying 13 wins to the WAC Tournament in Boise, Idaho, Thursday through Sunday.

The game was called with 15 minutes, 5 seconds left because of the inclement weather. Games are considered official if 70 or more minutes pass.