RIVERSIDE, Calif.>> Hawaii twice took a one goal lead only to have the UC Riverside Highlanders rally for two goals in the final eight minutes to pull out a 3-2 nonconference victory in a physical match yesterday. Wahine can’t hold leads
against lowly HighlandersStaff and wire services
It was the first win of the season for Highlanders (1-3) and the first time they scored more than one goal in a match this season.
The Wahine (1-2-1) lost freshman defender Seline Williams with a strained left calf muscle early in the match, then had midfielders Sasha Araya-Schraner and Erin Quattromani leave early in the second half with strained hamstrings.
Natasha Kai had to sit out due to a red card received in Friday's Oregon State match. Arlene Devitt and Kalena Eaton also were nursing injuries and played despite not being 100 percent. All this left the Wahine shorthanded on a hot afternoon.
"These kids will be back and they will start running like they did at home. I'm still not too concerned because WAC is still a month away," said UH coach Pinsoom Tenzing.
Natalie Groenewoud gave UH a 1-0 halftime lead with a 25-yard shot into the net from the right side 4:23 into the match. She was set up by a pass from Arlene Devitt that allowed Groenewoud to one-time her shot.
Lisa Jensen fired a shot off a cross from Kelly Hurley and beat UH goalkeeper Jennifer Churchill to the right post at 70:19 to tie the score.
Six minutes later Krystalynn Ontai's corner kick from the left side deflected on a URC defender and swerved into the net to put Hawaii ahead 2-1.
But, at 82:13, Jessica Armel took a pass from Kristi Tanaka and found herself unmarked, one-on-one with Churchill. Armel's shot inside the right post lifted UCR into a 2-2 tie.
The game winner came at 88:12. Freshman Renee Scachetti took a feed from Erika Bligh and drilled a 20-yard shot that caught the bottom half of the cross bar and caromed into the goal.
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