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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, October 1, 2007

UH Wahine soccer team beats HPU, 11-0

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Vanessa Bailey

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It was a record-breaking night in a revisited rivalry for the Rainbow Wahine soccer team.

Hawai'i set a school record for most goals in a game as it dominated Hawai'i Pacific, 11-0, in a non-conference in-state match yesterday at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

The 11 goals eclipsed the previous best of eight set against Morehead State in 2003. The Rainbow Wahine (7-2-1) also set school records for most goals in a half (7), assists (11), shots (54) and shots allowed (0) against the Division II Sea Warriors (1-6).

A crowd of 895 watched UH improve the series record to 8-0 in the first game between the schools since 2000.

Sophomore midfielder Vanessa Bailey scored three goals to become the third player (Natasha Kai and Veronica Flores) in school history to score a hat trick.

"It feels great," Bailey said. "It was my first goal, and then I had two more.

"We got everyone in, and it was nice to see people coming off the bench and scoring. It was exciting coming out here and having fun. It's fun to score."

Every available Rainbow Wahine received significant playing time — even usual starting goalkeeper Kori Lu played on the field as a defender.

"It's really big," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said of the playing time. "It's very high up on my list of priorities. Everyone had quality time.

"They moved the ball better than the first string," Tenzing added, citing senior Shawn Higa, who is slowly returning from a knee injury.

Junior midfielder Kelli-Anne Chang scored first off assists from senior midfielder Jessica Domingo and senior defender Lehua Wood in the 23rd minute. Wood started the play from the right side and passed it to Domingo, who kept the play going to the left for Chang to run on to in the 18-yard box and finish with a low shot into the goal.

Domingo scored after beating a defender and shooting a 25-yard floater into the right side of the goal that HPU goalkeeper Veronica Ellmann could not control in the 29th minute.

"It's always nice to be that successful in scoring," Domingo said. "Especially with a lot of people scoring."

Freshman defender Chelsea Deptula scored on a header in the 32nd minute off a corner kick from the right side by freshman defender Nicole Mikula, whose corner kick was swatted away from the goal but onto the head of Deptula.

Bailey scored her first career goal in the 38th minute on a pass from sophomore Emma Makepa-Foley, who juked a defender in the 18-yard box before passing it to the top of the 6-yard box for Bailey, who touched the ball past Ellmann.

"Finally their hard work pays off," Domingo said of the reserves who scored. "They work so hard at practice and now they get to prove how good they are."

Chang scored her second goal off an assist from junior forward Taryn Fukuroku in the opening minutes of the second half. Fukuroku dribbled up the left side and along the endline before passing to Chang in the 18-yard box. Chang's shot initially hit the crossbar before bouncing into the goal.

Junior midfielder Alexis Choi scored on a combination play with Fukuroku, freeing Choi in the 18-yard box for a blast into the goal in the 53rd minute.

Foley scored in the 68th minute on an assist from sophomore midfielder Kelsie Look, whose cross from the left side reached the back post for Foley. Foley's goal came on the 43rd shot of the game for the Rainbow Wahine, setting a school record (42, Long Island, 2002).

Bailey scored again on assists by Foley and freshman midfielder Laura Euers. Foley headed Euers' corner kick to Bailey, who scored in the 76th minute.

Freshman midfielder Mallory Maughan scored on an assist from senior midfielder Aimee Watanabe in the 79th minute, and Look scored her first career goal on a blast to the upper right side of the goal in the 83rd minute. Bailey's third goal came on assists by Watanabe and Look in the final minute.

"We picked up a lot of experience," HPU coach Mark Kane said. "We had a lot of freshmen and they are learning. If the score smarts, then that's good. It's something to remember. There are lessons to be learned."

Hawai'i hits the road this weekend for games at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine before opening the Western Athletic Conference season at home against Nevada on Oct. 12 and Fresno State on Oct. 14.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.