By MATT GERHART
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
During a trying season filled with a series of what-ifs, UH-Hilo women’s soccer team finally got the results it has been working so hard to obtain.
Junior Sophie Satterlee scored for her first two goals of the season Saturday and Jenna Hufford secured her fourth shutout as the Vulcans defeated Holy Names 3-0 in Oakland, Calif., closing their campaign with a third consecutive victory.
“It feels good,” coach Gene Okamura said. “I wish we could have put this streak together earlier in the season.”
Satterlee entered the match with only three shots on goal and she matched that total against the lowly Hawks. The junior fullback scored in the 22nd minute off assists from Abcde Zoller and Kayela Santiago, and Astrid Perez set up Satterlee’s tally in the 57th minute before scoring one of her own less than six minutes later.
The Vulcans finished (5-7-4) 10th in the PacWest Conference at 3-6-4, though five of those losses came by one goal.
“If we could played the entire season like we did the last three matches, who knows what could have happened,” Okamura said.
The Vulcans outshot the last-place Hawks (1-15-1, 1-12-0) 25-18.
Hufford made seven saves, giving her 99 on the season.
UH-Hilo started the season 2-1 before going on a 10-match winless streak, but Okamura said he would remember this team for its “willingness to fight.”
UH-Hilo 3, Holy Names 3: The Vulcans finished winless in the PacWest despite its second-highest scoring output of the season.
UH-Hilo (1-14-2, 0-11-2) led 2-1 at halftime, fell behind and Anthony Novella netted the equalizer in the 80th minute, heading in a pass from Jonathan Garcia.
Hilo High graduate Andrew Dawrs assisted on Jesus Ortega’s goal, and Rodrigo Castellanos also scored in the first half for the Vulcans with his third goal of the season.
“This is a young team,” Okamura said. “Hopefully by this time next year we’re much better.”
