Tribune-Herald
For the better part of the afternoon Sunday, Hawaii matched Big West leader Cal Poly shot for shot and goal for goal. That’s when Bianca Burright and Elise Krieghoff got going, powering a three-goal flurry that made it all for naught.
Burright and Krieghoff each scored twice and the Mustangs pulled away for a 5-2 victory in a women’s soccer match in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Coming off consecutive 1-0 losses, Krystal Pascua and Alexis Colacchio found the net for the Rainbow Wahine (6-8-2, 1-4-0), who in turn allowed a season high in goals and have lost three straight and seven of nine. UH’s struggles are most pronounced on the road, where they’ve lost six consecutive and 18 of 20 dating back to last season.
While Burright, a senior, found her touch again with her first goals since 2010, Krieghoff added to her stellar freshman campaign with her league-leading ninth and 10th scores. Cici Kobinski added a goal and an assist as the Mustangs remained unbeaten in their last six matches.
UH answered every challenge during the first 72-plus minutes before Burright took a quick pass and broke a 2-2 tie to give Poly (8-5-2, 5-0-1) its third lead of the match. Then she assisted on Krieghoff’s goal in the 80th minute. At 86:51, Krieghoff drew goalkeeper Kanani Taaca off line and had an open net for another insurance goal.
Burright redshirted last season and was playing in only her second match of the year. Her goal in the 12th minute was her first since she led Poly in assists and was second in scoring two seasons ago.
Tied 1-1 at halftime, play opened up after the break.
Kobinski put Poly up during the opening minute, but Colacchio lofted a ball over goalkpeeper Alyssa Giannetti from 5 yards out to even things less than five minutes later for her second score of the year. Addison Carroll assisted.
UH had gone more than 234 minutes without a goal when Pascua scored midway through the first half, gathering a blocked shot from 8 yards out and putting it in the the left side of an open net.
Both teams were credited with 14 shots and eight on goal.
The ‘Bows return to Oahu for their final homestand of the year, hosting Cal Davis on Friday and Pacific on Sunday.
