KEAAU, Hawai'i – Sophomore Ebony Madrid scored in the 38th minute and the Hawai'i Pacific University defense held strong as the Sharks defeated neighbor-island rival Hawai'i Hilo 1-0 in a non-conference match on Saturday afternoon at Paiea Stadium.
 
The Sharks (4-1) played on the road for the first time in 2017 and handed the Vulcans (3-1) their first loss of the season.
 
"It was our first away win of the season," said HPU head coach Gina Brewer. "It was a great game to prepare us for the start of conference in California next week."
 
Madrid, a forward from Porterville, Calif./Ramstein, got the only goal of the match after her first shot was deflected by Vulcan goalkeeper Jenna Hufford off another UH Hilo defender causing the ball to roll toward the open goal. Madrid toe-poked it in for the tally in the 38th minute.
 
The Sharks got a tremendous game from junior goalkeeper Lauren Spencer of Oxford, Mich./Oxford, who faced 11 Vulcan shots and notched six saves of those on goal.
 
UHH's Hufford faced six HPU shots, recording two saves and allowing the one goal.
 
The game was the first of four away from Oahu for the Sharks. Next week, HPU visits Concordia Irvine to begin PacWest Conference play on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. HST (1:30 p.m. PDT).