HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University closed the 2021 women's soccer season on a down note on Thursday, falling 5-1 to neighbor island rival Hawai'i Hilo at the UHH Soccer Field on the Big Island.
The Sharks (5-10-1, 4-5-1) saw the Vulcans (11-3, 8-1) score three goals in three minutes in the second half to take the win. The Vulcan women play for a PacWest Conference Championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament on Saturday against Chaminade.
UH Hilo scored the first goal of the game in the fifth minute when Kayla Kunihisa collected her first goal of the year off a feed from Alyssa Padron to go up 1-0. The Sharks held steady the rest of the first half to make that the score at intermission.
Just after the break in the 49th minute, freshman
Marcella Chan of Foster City, Calif./Aragon, scored following a corner kick. The corner came down in a group of players in front of the goal before the ball ended up at Chan's feet. She tapped it in from a few feet away for the equalizing goal.
The Sharks with stood the Vulcan pressure for the next few minutes before UH Hilo blasted through the pipe.
The Vulcans got a goal from Filippa Graneld, her fifth of the season off a feed from Daelenn Tokunaga to break the tie in the 57th minute.
Then Alyssa Padron scored back-to-back goals in the 59th and 60th minutes to put the game away. Her goal in the 59th was assisted by Graneld and the 60th minute tally was aided by Kunihisa.
UHH's leading scorer, Tokunaga, then added her 13th goal of the season in the 89th minute for the 5-1 victory.
The Vulcans outshot the Sharks 20-3 in the contest.
Starting sophomore goalkeeper
Madi DePhillips of Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine Prep recorded six saves with the four goals allowed against 15 shots in 66 minutes before handing off to senior
Marissa Froio of Simi Valley, Calif./Royal, who posted two saves and a goal allowed versus five shots in the final 24 minutes.
The Vulcan's Viviana Poli allowed the goal on the only shot on goal by HPU in 74 minutes. Taylor Hornburg finished the final 16 minutes without facing a shot.
The contest concluded the season for HPU.
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