Another shutout helps Lady Vuls’ playoff cause

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Tribune-Herald

Tribune-Herald

One was enough again for the University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s soccer team.

Thanks to a goalkeeper and a back line that’s forgotten how to give up goals, the Vulcans continue finding ways to win. If they keep it up, they might just find themselves in the postseason.

Analysa Rodriguez scored in the 11th minute Thursday and Jenna Hufford made it stand up with her ninth shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory against Academy of Art at UHH baseball field.

Ranked fifth in the most recent West Region rankings, UHH (10-3-2, 7-3-1 Pacific West Conference) improved to 6-0-1 in their last seven matches, and the Vulcans have only allowed one goal in that span.

Rodriguez netted her fourth goal to tie for the team lead off an assist from Lauren Grace-Finley as the Vulcans won by a 1-0 score for the fifth time this season.

Hufford, the reigning PacWest Freshman of the Week, made three saves. She’s allowed 14 goals in 15 matches.

UHH took 11 shots while the Urban Knights (3-12-1, 2-7-1) had just three. The Vulcans put eight shots on frame, five by Kristine Pasek.

UHH closes out the regualar season Nov. 9 at home against BYU-Hawaii (6-4-2, 5-3-1). The Vulcans are tied for the third in the PacWest and they’re the only league member ranked in the West, putting them in the mix for an at-large bid.

UHH men 1, Academy of Art 0: Zachary Solarte scored on a penalty kick as the Vulcans (6-7-1, 4-6-1) won for the third time in four matches.

Thomas Murphy drew the PK when he was dragged down in the penalty box in the 53rd minute.

Early in the match, Urban Knights’ goalkeeper Joshua Leader stopped James Yamane’s PK, but Solarte buried his attempt in the top left corner.

“I wanted to take the first one, and I wasn’t going to stopped the second time,” Solarte said of his second goal this season. “There was nothing the goalkeeper could do.”

Goalkeeper Yonha Andrabi made three saves for his fifth clean sheet of the season.

UHH outshot Academy of Art (8-5-3, 5-3-2) 10-5.