Hitting the goal post early in the game was actually a good omen for University of Hawai'i freshman forward Ambree Ako, who scored her first collegiate goal and led the Rainbow Wahine to their first win.

Hawai'i defeated Oklahoma, 1-0, in the OHANA Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi Tournament last night at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in front of 395 fans.

Washington (2-0) won the tournament with a 1-0 win over Hawai'i (1-1) Friday and a 2-1 win over Oklahoma (0-2) Saturday.

Ako scored on a free kick from just inside the penalty box arch in the 68th minute.

"I was freaking out," said Ako, who drove a waist-high ball past the Oklahoma wall of defenders. "I only practiced it twice. I tried to aim for one of their heads but I have bad aim. I thought it was going to go wide, but it hit a defender. It feels awesome. It hit someone, but it was the first goal of my college career. I'll take it. I'll take anything."

Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said Ako's goal — Hawai'i's first of the season — "took the monkey off our back."It was Ako's second dangerous shot of the evening, after she hit the left post in the fourth minute.

"I was trying to push it in with my mind," said Ako, who scored 54 goals for 'Aiea High. "Once I shot that I knew I had a chance to score."

Hawai'i shot the ball 10 times before Oklahoma took its first. The Rainbows had a 19-7 advantage on shots, and took seven shots on goal to five by the Sooners.

Several combination plays on both sides of the field resulted in crosses across the face of the goal, but no UH attacker was there to capitalize on the passes.

"We started off really well but we didn't finish our chances," Tenzing said. "We let them back into the game. We've got to put away those balls; we had too many chances in the 6-yard box (without scoring)."

UH captain Jessica Domingo, a junior midfielder, said missed opportunities were "disheartening," but added that Ako's goal "shows what we're capable of."

The Rainbow Wahine hit the goalposts twice in the first half. Besides Ako's shot, freshman midfielder Vanessa Bailey struck the top of the crossbar in the 31st minute.

Oklahoma's first shot on goal came in the 37th minute, on a one-on-one between Sooner Tenesha Duncan and Hawai'i goalkeeper Kori Lu. Lu stopped Duncan.

Lu denied Duncan again on a breakaway in the final minute of the half.

Hawai'i played without defensive leader Shawn Higa, who was out with an injury.

Domingo said "that's a hole that you try to fill but can't."

Tenzing credited Domingo with taking charge and calming down the Rainbow Wahine after Duncan's two chances.

"She did the kinds of things we want all our midfielders to do," he said. "Take people on, go to the ball. She has it. She made the difference."

Duncan also had a chance in the second half, but her shot hit the left post in the 63rd minute.

The Rainbow Wahine next play Kent State and Winthrop in the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic this weekend.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.