Monday, September 6, 1999

Gaels hand Wahine
first loss of season

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

The Hawaii Wahine tactical plan was solid but their execution phase needs some refining before they play nationally ranked Stanford Thursday.

UH had problems controlling the ball and using it effectively in the midfield yesterday at the UH Soccer Field.

The St Mary's Gaels can take credit for causing much of the breakdown, but the Wahine certainly can reevaluate their own cohesiveness.

The Gaels (2-0) handed UH (1-1) its first loss of the season, 1-0, when junior midfielder KayCee Pfeifer kicked a bouncer into the net off Sami Conroy's corner kick in the 85th minute.

Conroy, one of several Gaels who frustrated UH with her tough defense, left-footed a low swerving ball that UH head coach Pinsoom Tenzing thought should have been headed clear long before it crossed the goal mouth.

"Our defense was set perfectly. Even the shot on goal, there was a swing and miss (by a UH defender on the goal line)," said Tenzing.

Three minutes earlier, UH striker Jennifer Starsiak received a bouncing ball between two defenders just inside the penalty box, but was denied by St. Mary's goalkeeper, Ruth Montgomery."

"I figured the goalie was coming out and I had to kick it one way or the other because I couldn't go around her," Starsiak said.

It wasn't a solid kick and a sprawling Montgomery got enough of her right hand on the ball to deflect it for a corner kick.

Although Hawaii had nine shots, that was the toughest of Montgomery's two saves, both in the second half.

Getting the ball to the Wahine strikers was the problem and when they did get it, rarely was it an easy pass to work with.

"We didn't control the midfield in the first half. It got better in the second half," Tenzing said.

"That's what we were banking on this year. We have have numbers there, but we gave away space (in the middle of the field)."

The Gaels created that problem by being more aggressive, anticipating UH passes and constantly challenging for every ball.

"This is the first time (this season) we had hard and fast pressure. You can play hard in practice, but it's not like playing against somebody else," said UH midfielder Wendy Miyashiro.

"Our intensity was about the same as the HPU game, but we were playing a better team and their intensity was up," said UH midfielder Camille Kalama.

Without enough through balls on the ground to the strikers, the Wahine tried the long ball and lob pass, but St. Mary's enjoyed a height advantage on defense and used it wisely.

"Unity in the midfield, that is a huge concern," said Tenzing. "I was betting everything on the midfielders. I have complete confidence in the defenders and the goalkeeper."

UH goalkeeper Demarre Sanchez had an excellent match with four saves. She made diving stops on two set-play direct free kicks that the Gaels drilled past the wall.

"It's all up hill from here. At least we know what were facing so now we can practice harder," said Miyashiro.

St. Mary’s	0	1 - 1
Hawaii	0	0 - 0

StM: KayCee Pfeifer (Sami Conroy), 85:00.
Shots-StM: 9, UH: 9.
Corner kicks-StM 5, UH: 2.
Fouls-StM: 13, UH: 10.
A--246.

http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu