Box Score

DALLAS--Hawaii's hopes for its first-ever WAC tournament title were washed away with a 4-1 semifinal loss to Rice Friday night at Wescott Field on the campus of SMU. All-WAC midfielder Sarah Yoder recorded a hat trick and assisted on another goal as the Lady Owls eliminated the Rainbow Wahine from the WAC Championship for the second straight year.

The match was played in sub-40 degree weather and a slushy field after a constant downpour all day. UH (13-5-2) entered the match unbeaten in its last seven matches and hadn't lost since a 4-3 setback to SMU more than a month ago. The No. 2 seed Rainbow Wahine, regular-season co-champions, came in with high hopes but the third-seeded Owls again played the role of spoiler, after taking UH out last year, 1-0. Rice (11-7-1) avenged a 2-0 regular-season home loss to UH and advanced to the WAC title match with it seventh straight win.

The Owls led 1-0 at the half, then tacked three more goals, before Robin deHay scored in the 88th minute to avoid the shutout. Rice also held two-time WAC Player of the Year Natasha Kai without a goal for the first time in 10 matches.

Rice got on the board in the 24th minute when Marisa Galvan header hit the post and Yoder's slammed home the rebound. UH had two opportunities in the final minutes of the half to equalize the score, including a free kick by Devitt at the corner of the 18-yard box, that just missed.

Rice increased its lead to 2-0 when Ashley Anderson scored off a Yoder feed less than two minutes into the second half. Yoder added on two more goals in the 68th and 74th minute. Her second goal of the evening again came off a rebound as she followed up a loose ball following a save by Mahie Atay. Yoder completed her hat trick with a header off a cross from Laura Barber.

The early exit from the tournament eliminated UH's slim chances at a NCAA Tournament at-large bid. UH ends the season with a school-record 13 wins and nearly two dozen new school records.

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