The results remain the same, but not all ties are created equal said UH-Hilo interim soccer director Gene Okamura.
The Lady Vulcans played to a third draw in as many matches Monday on their road trip, and Okamura said his team earned a “good,” hard-earned point in a match against Notre Dame de Namur that ended 1-1 in Belmont, Calif.
Hilo High graduate Rose Nakamura netted her first collegiate goal in the 43rd minute, tying the match for the Vulcans (2-1-3, 0-0-3) on a breakaway. Nakamura was a prolific goal-scorer as an underclassmen with the Vikings, but this is the junior’s first season of college soccer.
“She’s been in and out of the program,” Okamura said. “It think what we noticed about her was her work rate.”
The Argonauts (3-2-2, 1-0-1) fired 23 shots and senior goalkeeper Jenna Hufford who made eight saves for the third consecutive match.
Okamura wasn’t as enthusiastic about earlier ties against Dominican and Academy of Art, which entered Saturday’s match winless.
“Those were missed opportunities,” Okamura said.
The UH-Hilo men’s team also saw a familiar result in a 2-0 loss that dropped the Vulcans to 1-6 and 0-3 in league play.
UH-Hilo was outshot 15-1 and Jake Sagami had the only shot against the Argonauts (4-3, 2-0 PacWest), who won their third match in a row.
Naia Graham broke the scoreless tie in the 53rd minute and Esteban Berumen headed in an insurance goal in the 89th minute.
Joshua Jaspar made three saves for the Vulcans, who will by busy with seven home matches in October at Paiea Stadium in Keaau.
Hawaii Pacific visits Saturday (12:30 p.m. men, 3 p.m. women), the first of seven October home dates.
Strong start for Yamaguchi
UH-Hilo Jeffrey Yamaguchi put himself in medalist contention Monday firing a 70 and 72 at the Western Washington University Golf Invitational in Bellingham, Wash.
The junior was 2-under and four shots off the lead in a tie for eighth place as the Vulcans opened their second tournament of the season in ninth place out of 17 teams.
Taylor Patrick (74-71) was 1-over in a tie for 25th for UH-Hilo (295-291), which at 10-over is 17 strokes off the pace set by British Columbia.
Braeden Campbell carded 74-75, Trevor Kua went 77-73 and Jared Kinoshita posited a 78 and an 80.
There was a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard. The final round is Tuesday.
