Waipahu, HI – Hawai'i Pacific University's men's soccer team secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Hawai'i Hilo on Saturday afternoon at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. The Sharks built an early lead, withstood a second-half comeback by the Vulcans, and clinched their first PacWest win of the season.
HPU (2-5-0, 1-0-0) opened the scoring in the 36th minute when Shota Fukunishi netted his first goal of the season, assisted by Kelly Takara. The Sharks quickly doubled their lead just after halftime, with Kelly Takara finding the back of the net in the 46th minute, assisted by Jude Boyd.
Hawai'i Hilo (5-2-0, 0-1-0) responded in the second half, as Tom Vorkastner scored twice in quick succession, bringing the match level at 2-2 by the 77th minute. However, HPU regained the lead in the 82nd minute when Jonathan Sorto scored the decisive goal, securing the victory for the Sharks.
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HPU showed resilience after giving up their lead, responding swiftly to secure the win and begin PacWest play on a high note. The Sharks will look to build on this momentum as they continue conference action.
