Wahine prevail again
in overtime
The Hawaii defense broke down once, but the Rainbow Wahine offense rectified that error to produce a 2-1 overtime victory over Loyola Marymount in a nonconference soccer match at Los Angeles.
Natasha Kai's second overtime game-winner on this trip was the difference yesterday.
It is the second consecutive year the Wahine have swept a three-match road trip.
The Lions (2-2) took a 1-0 lead at 16:45 on a goal by Katie Osborne. LMU goalkeeper Kelly Yukihiro sent a long ball up field that UH defender Jessica Uecker misjudged in the sun. The ball glanced off Uecker's head backward toward the UH net. Wahine goalkeeper Mahie Atay and left back Krystalynn Ontai converged on the ball, but Osborne took advantage of miscommunication and pushed the ball around Atay and into an open net.
"We gave that one away," Hawaii coach Pinsoom Tenzing said.
Hawaii (3-1-1) drew even at 19:15 when freshman striker Gabrielle Bohlman scored her third goal of the season.
Senior midfielder Joelle Sugai sent a pass up the left side to Kai, who was on the outside of the penalty box. The junior striker chipped a ball across the box to the right side, where Bohlman was waiting to head it into the net.
"Gabrielle is doing what she has to do," Tenzing said. "She is a big surprise, a tremendous find for us."
Although the Lions had two shots hit the crossbar in the second half, neither team could find the net for the next 73 minutes until Kai beat Yukihiro with a one-on-one sudden-victory effort in the first overtime at 92:17.
The play began when freshman striker Koren Takeyama fought for the ball just inside the midfield line on the left and began an angle up the middle through the LMU defense. Takeyama fed a pass on the ground to Kai, who got open in the middle of the field and delivered the winner.
"There is absolute elation for the entire team. We're very happy to accomplish something so tough against three tough teams," Tenzing said. "The temperature was near 100 today, but the kids did well for themselves and I am happy for them.
"Koren did very well today and created the second goal for Tasha. I know I sound like a broken record, but Jessica (Domingo) was just tremendous in the midfield."
The Wahine return home today. They host the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic this coming week with matches against Duke on Friday and Long Beach State next Monday at the Waipio Peninsula Park Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m.
