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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 6, 2009

Pacific edges Rainbow Wahine soccer team, 3-2


By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i women's soccer team dropped a game to Pacific in what was likely the roughest, most physical game it will play all season.

The Tigers defeated the Rainbow Wahine, 3-2, in the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Soccer Classic tonight at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
Six cards were handed out last night, four to Pacific (3-2-0) and two to Hawai'i (1-3-1), including a red card issued to Rainbow Wahine senior forward Britta Bourne, who was carded in the final minute of the first half and ejected from the game. It left Hawai'i with 10 players for the second half.
"They've always been physically tough but I think we held them off," said senior forward Ambree Ako, who scored both goals for the Rainbow Wahine. "We expected it so we started off giving it to them instead of them giving it to us."
A total of 30 fouls were called, including 19 on Pacific.
Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said it was "probably" the most physical opponent the Rainbow Wahine will play all season.
"We knew they were going to come out with man-to-man defense," he said. "And they were going to come hard after us."
Playing without Bourne for a half was "almost like playing with your arm cut off," Tenzing said. "It's difficult to play for half a game a man down. Britta is a significant part of the way we play."
Pacific freshman Kortney Agdeppa scored first off assists from Maricela Padilla and Angelica Figueroa in the 13th minute. Agdeppa's goal came off an apparent miscommunication between UH goalkeeper Kristina Ehrett and a Hawai'i defender, both of whom paused, leaving Agdeppa with an open shot from the top of the right side of the 6-yard box.
Padilla scored two minutes later after collecting a goalkick by Ehrett from about 25 yards out and shooting it past Ehrett.
Ako scored on a penalty kick in the 20th minute after junior midfielder Mari Punzal was fouled attempting a header during an Ako corner kick.
Ako tied it at 2 in the 37th minute. She started the play in the middle of the field, passing it to Punzal, who worked a give-and-go combination play with Bourne. Bourne passed the ball to Punzal, who was overlapping on the right side. Punzal beat two defenders before crossing the ball to Ako, who headed the ball in.
"Mari played a perfect ball that went straight to my head like a magnet," Ako said.
Padilla put the Tigers ahead for good with a little over five minutes left in the game after volleying in a corner kick by Figueroa.
"We played super good; this was the best game we played all season," Ako said. "And not getting a win hurt a little bit."