BOX SCORE
WAIPAHU, O`ahu – The University of Hawai`i women's soccer team opened the season against a tough Long Beach State team Wednesday night, and the two teams battled into overtime before the 49ers pulled out the 4-3 victory at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
In the first game of the OHANA Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi, the Rainbow Wahine carried a 3-1 lead into the 75th minute, but the 49ers finished the game strong, scoring two goals in an 11 minute span to force the sudden-death overtime. Long Beach State scored 3:16 into overtime for the win. Long Beach State improved to 2-0-0 on the season and UH fell to 0-1-0.
The Rainbow Wahine built its 3-1 lead with one goal in the first half from
Ambree Ako, leading 1-0 at the break.
Chelsea Deptula scored the first goal of the second half, giving UH a 2-0 lead. Long Beach State got on the board in the 60
th minute, before
Kristen Oshiro scored UH's third goal in the 71
st minute. The 49ers scored the final three goals of the game.
The first goal of the season for UH came from a nice play from Ako. The junior passed the ball out wide to
Alexis Choi, who centered it back to Ako, who used her left foot to beach Long Beach State goalkeeper Liz Ramos.
In the second half,
Taryn Fukuroku centered the ball off a free kick and
Tehane Higa headed it to Deptula, who headed it past Ramos in net. The final goal for UH came from Oshiro, who took a cross from
Vanessa Bailey, with an assist by Choi and knocked the ball past Ramos in the upper left corner.
Overall, Ako, Deptula and Oshiro netted goals and Choi had two assist and Higa, Fukuroku and Bailey had one assist.
Kori Lu played the full 93:16 minutes in net for UH and had two saves.
Offensively the Rainbow Wahine had seven shots with five on goal and had three corner kicks. Long Beach State had six shots and six shots on goal and had five corner kicks.
The Rainbow Wahine return to action at 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1, when they host No. 23 Denver at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
-UH-
