Lady Vulcans earn win, men tie

By MATT GERHART

Tribune-Herald sports writer

Analysa Rodriguez said the message between players at a recent meeting was clear: “We’ve got to keep our heads up. We’re done losing.”

Correct on both counts. Rodriguez teamed with Brianna Lopiccolo to help the University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s soccer team end a seven-game losing.

Rodriguez and Lopiccolo both set each other up for scores Saturday as the Vulcans held off Chaminade 2-1.

On a gloomy and rainy day at UHH baseball field, the Vulcans sported pink jerseys while the Silverswords wore their customary blue, a color that could certainly be used to describe the program’s recent struggles. Chaminade (0-13, 0-11) has been outscored 56-6 this season.

However, UHH has had problems of its own to worry about.

While Rodriguez said team morale was a bit of an issue as the team struggled, Lopiccolo said Saturday shows that the Vulcans never lost faith.

“We have each others backs. We work really hard for each other,” she said. “Even though we got scored on, we played until the end for each other. When it got kind of tough, we backed each other up.”

Rodriguez produced her second goal of the season, heading in a Lopiccolo corner kick in the ninth minute.

“I usually don’t use my head, but I don’t know what got into me,” Rodriguez said.

Lopiccolo showed off her strong leg again in 29th minute, gathering a pass from Rodriguez and netting her fourth goal of the season with a shot from beyond the penalty box.

Heavy rain followed as UHH (4-9, 2-8) failed to equal the goal production it reached in beating Chaminade by a combined 13-3 in two earlier victories this season.

“I thought we’d score more. I think it had to do with the weather,” Rodriguez said. “Our touches were a bit off, but we kept hustling through it.”

Lopiccolo, a sophomore midfielder, and Rodriguez, a junior forward, are both California girls.

“Not so much (in San Jose) with the rain,” Lopiccolo said.

UHH, which held a 13-4 advantage in shots, hadn’t won since beating Chaminade on Sept. 17, and it went through a four-game scoreless streak in the process.

That prompted a meeting for players only during a recent mainland road trip.

“Just players getting together,” Rodriguez. “More comfortable, we don’t feel pressure.”

Kaitlyn Powell scored in the 84th minute to make things interesting.

• UHH men 1, Chaminade 1, 2OT: Morgan Popp scored as Ziggy Korytoski’s program took another step forward, After enduing a 20-match winless streak, the Vulcans (2-7-2, 2-6-2) are undefeated in three consecutive matches.

However, the first-year coach was beside himself with what he saw as one-sided and inconsistent officiating from referee Ted Bennett in a foul-filled contest.

The Vulcans were whistled for 29 fouls, 10 more then the Silverwords (2-8-3, 2-6-3).

“An embarrassment,” Korytoski said. “It was too bad. You got people who come to watch a competition. There is no way it should be decided by one guy. It’s the man in the middle. It put our guys back so far. Whether it was personal, I don’t know.

I have never been so embarrassed for the game in all my life.”

One foul that really riled Korytoski was a call that set Chaminade up with a penalty kick in the 77th minute.

Sam Galloway beat Yonha Adrabi high on the right side to tie the match.

Popp, a sophomore fullback, scored his first goal of the season in the 17th minute off a Philip Sakaba corner kick in the 18th minute.

UHH’s Ikaika Fuerte had a couple a of chips in the box in the second overtime, but sophomore midfielder couldn’t put the ball on frame.

Both teams took eight shots on goal .

“We should have scored a couple of more goals in the first half,” Korytoski said. “We shouldn’t have let it get to the point where a referee decided the match.”

Bennett declined comment.

The UHH men host Hawaii Pacific at 12:30 p.m. Monday, with the women’s match at 3 p.m.