Quality play continues to come in 45-minute increments – not 90 – for UH-Hilo’s women’s soccer team.
Playing on the mainland for the first time since 2019, the Vulcans scored their first goal of the young season – courtesy of Daelenn Tokunaga – but lost 2-1 to Humboldt State in Arcata, Calif.
Kendal Spencer scored the go-ahead goal in the 74th minute to lift the Lumberjacks (1-0-1) to their first win, dropping the Vulcans to 0-2.
“We need more consistency throughout the match and to maintain the same energy and quality for the entire match,” UHH coach Gene Okamura said. “Today and Thursday (a 1-0 loss), we played well in the first half and it dropped off in the second half.”
Humboldt State coach Grant Landy credited his team’s adjustments and mentality for its solid second half, saying in a school release, “Our movement and buildup were excellent.”
Earlier, Landy said, “Hilo really came out and rattled us that first 15 minutes or so, their movement off the ball was problematic for us. It was great to get on the scoreboard first to settle us down a bit.”
Tokunaga, a former Hawaii Rainbow Wahine, scored her second goal as a Vul in the 20th minute to tie the match 1-1.
UHH put four of its 10 shots on frame and earned six penalty kicks. Goalkeeper Viviana Poli made four saves.
Spencer’s goal was the first shot by either team in a 25-minute span. Humboldt took nine shots, including Clara Lenihan goal in the sixth minute off a cross by Poppy Cartledge.
UHH plays at San Francisco State on Tuesday.
• Washington State scored three goals in the opening 10 minutes en route to a 7-0 win against the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine in Pullman, Wash.
UH (0-3-1) has been outscored 12-0 in two matches on its road trip.