Friday, October 22, 1999

Vegas gets
record goal

The former Waimea soccer
star sets the NCAA Division III
career record for scoring

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

The NCAA Division III women's soccer career goal-scoring record belongs to Hawaii's Alicia Vegas, a senior striker at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

Vegas scored what she termed a weird goal yesterday, the 111th of her career, to break a tie with former record holder Beth Byrne of Franklin & Marshall. Vegas, of Lawai, Kauai, had scored four goals last weekend to pull even with Byrne at 110.

"You know how my other (100th) goal was a fluke goal. This was even worse. It's like every goal I score that breaks a record is some God-awful goal," Vegas said.

"It was off a corner kick (by Kylie Kuennen from the left side). I don't even know what I was doing. I was standing right next to the goalie and I never do that on a corner kick."

Kuennen's corner kick was low and came bouncing toward the goal. Vegas was stationed about the middle of the goal with Cornell's goalkeeper between her and the front post.

"It went right through the goalie's hands, under her and went off my stomach into the goal. So I really didn't do much," said Vegas.

The milestone occurred at 77 minutes, 46 seconds and gave Simpson a 2-1 lead. The Storm (16-2) won, 3-2, in overtime.

Vegas, a 5-foot-6 graduate of Waimea High, has 24 goals this season.

Having the record really hit Vegas when she called home to tell her mother.

"She kind of freaked out. I call her and tell her about every goal I make, but this kind of made more of an impression. She congratulated me this time.," Vegas said. She is the daughter of Janet and Joe Vegas.

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