‘Fantabulous’ goal
lifts UH to win
POCATELLO, Idaho >> The Hawaii women's soccer team completed a sweep of its road trip with a 2-0 nonconference victory over Idaho State yesterday.
The Rainbow Wahine (11-4-1) outshot the Bengals (4-7-1) 21-6 in winning their fourth consecutive match, the first time they have accomplished that this season. It is also the first time in UH history the Wahine have followed up two Western Athletic Conference wins with a victory over a nonconference opponent on the road.
The Kai family had an unforgettable trip by accounting for all seven Hawaii goals.
Natasha Kai put the Wahine ahead at 37:19 of the first half on a breakaway goal.
"I would have to describe it as a fantabulous goal," said UH coach Pinsoom Tenzing.
"Natasha got a long pass, volleyed it over a defender, then touched the ball one more time up in the air and headed it into the far corner of the goal. It was an incredible goal to see."
It was the 22nd goal of the season for Kai, the second leading scorer in the nation.
Her sister Krisha gave the Wahine some breathing room early in the second half with her second goal of the season.
Kimi Tiampo took a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that Bengals goalkeeper Esther Toronto blocked, but an unmarked Krisha Kai got the rebound and hit the back of the net at 53:22.
"I thought Krisha had an impossible angle and I was dead sure she was going to miss, but she didn't. She just smacked it," Tenzing said.
Idaho State lost its sixth consecutive match. The Bengals hit the crossbar twice and Erin Chow, who played the final 14 minutes, made a strong save late in the game to preserve the shutout, the ninth of the season for UH.
"The most joyous part of this trip was everybody got to play a lot," Tenzing said.
The Wahine return home today and host Fresno State on Friday and San Jose State on Sunday.
Wahine earn WAC honors: Hawaii's Natasha Kai and Krystalynn Ontai were named WAC Players of the Week yesterday.
Kai shared the Offensive Player of the Week honor with Nevada's Kim Harvey after scoring all five Hawaii goals in conference wins over Nevada (4-1) and Boise State (1-0). The sophomore from Kahuku earned the award for the second straight week and for the third time this season.
Ontai, a junior from Mililani, helped the Wahine post their eighth shutout of the season with the win over Boise State and won the WAC's Defensive Player of the Week award for the first time in her career.
