It’s not early too figure out that UH-Hilo’s women’s soccer team needs to get better late in games.
Northwest Nazarene’s Maddy Parton scored in the 84th minute Thursday and the Vulcans fell 2-1 in Nampa, Idaho, remaining winless on young season.
The Vuls (0-2-1) will stay in Idaho before taking on Central Washington on Saturday, giving them a few days to figure to how create a clutch goal instead of giving one up.
UHH was coming off a 0-0 draw Monday Cal State East Bay before opening the season with a 2-1, double-overtime defeat at Cal State Monterey Bay.
The Vuls netted the equalizer in the 67th minute, when Christy Jensen, a junior transfer from Sierra College, put home a rebound off of goalkeeper Alexis Montoya, who had blocked a shot taken by Nanea Wall.
“The second half they came out in a different formation and we took too long (time) to adjust and they punished us for it,” Nazarene coach Mary Trigg said in a school release. “We responded, though. I think we made it a harder game than we needed it to be. We knew it was going to be a fight. I’m just glad the girls stepped up the way they did.”
The Nighthawks (2-1) scored early in the match, with Parton assisting on Rikki Myers’s one-on-one opportunity against UHH keeper Bailey Cahill.
Parton’s game-winner shot came from behind a group of players about 15 yards out and bounded past Cahill.
The Nighthawks finished with 20 shots (eight on frame), while UHH had 13 (seven).
Volleyball: It is in interim coach’s Chris Leonard’s eyes, “The toughest preseason tournament that I have seen in my years here.”
It’s just the way he likes it at the D2 West Region Showcase at Cal Poly Pomona.
The Vulcans (3-1) will face defending NCAA Division II runner-up Western Washington (4-0) on Saturday as well as the No. 20 Broncos (2-1), the tournament host. Cal State Monterey Bay (2-1) and Seattle Pacific (1-3) are on tap Friday.
“I like a strong preseason schedule,” Leonard said, “it can better prepare us for the tough conference matches that we have.”
UHH was balanced last weekend on Oahu, losing only a three-setter to Sonoma State.
Junior Bria Beale had 42 kills, including 18 a win against Chico State win. Right behind her is Amber Tai (36), Emily Wade (28), Ashton Jessee (28) and Alexandria Parisian (27). Freshman setter Kendall Kott had 45 assists in her collegiate debut, and her 139 total assists (9.27) leads the PacWest after the first weekend of play.