Saturday, October 20, 2001
[ WAHINE SOCCER ]
The Hawaii women's soccer team opened its home Western Athletic Conference season last night with a 5-1 victory over Texas-El Paso before 1,563 fans at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. Wahine top Miners 5-1
By Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comThe Wahine (2-1 WAC, 5-7 overall) scored two goals within four minutes midway through the first half to take a 2-1 lead into intermission. They nursed that advantage until the 81:40 mark, when Joelle Sugai sent Arlene Devitt through with a long pass. The sophomore striker ripped a left-foot shot into the net on the run from 14 yards out.
Suddenly it was a scoring parade for the Wahine.
Devitt slipped a pass to Jennifer Starsiak, who scored at 83:58. Starsiak then took a corner kick from the left side at 86:46 and Liz Lusk slammed a header into the net from 9 yards out.
It was the most goals Hawaii has scored in a match since beating Texas Christian 5-0 on Sept. 14, 1997, at Ala Wai Field.
Devitt's six points on two goals and two assists set a school single-match record. Her two goals ties a match record held by several players.
The Miners (1-3-1, 3-8-2) came out strong, applying pressure on the UH defense for the first 15 minutes of the second half. Laura Glasspoole, driving in from the right side, beat UH goalkeeper Jennifer Churchill with a shot, but senior defender Carmel Hurley cleared the ball away from 2 feet off the line.
Moments later, Marge Gomez's attempt from a scramble 6 out from the left post was just wide. A free kick at 67:52 went to a clear Holly Cohen behind the UH defense, but her weak shot went right to Churchill.
Hawaii had the better opportunities early, but the Miners got on the scoreboard first when Cohen scored at 22:12.
Gomez controlled a long crossing pass from the right and pushed the ball forward to Cohen, who redirected it past a diving Churchill into the center of the net from 6 yards out.
It didn't take the Wahine long to score the equalizer. Veronica Flores found Devitt running free on the right side. Devitt took the pass, circled inside UTEP defender Lindsay Raby and angled a left-footed shot into the far side of the net.
Devitt set up UH's second goal with a fine run down the right touchline. She beat a defender to cut inside, then delivered a perfect pass to onrushing Tiffany Makue, who blasted a shot just under the crossbar from the penalty kick spot.
The goal came at 33:09.
Flores was denied with two minutes left in the half when UTEP goalkeeper Katie Gilmore made a diving stop on a shot from 10 yards out.
The Wahine play WAC leader Southern Methodist (4-0, 9-3) here tomorrow at 5 p.m.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
