UH-H sports: Soccer wins, volleyball powers through

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HILO — The newly-ranked No. 25 Hawai’i Hilo women’s soccer team extended its win streak to five games as the unbeaten Vulcans blanked Academy of Art, 3-0, in Pacific West Conference action Tuesday afternoon at the Vulcan Soccer Field.

Savini Zamborini found the back of the net in the 10th minute of the match for her second score of the season — both game-winners. Teani Arakawa also netted a team-leading fifth goal of the season in the 55th minute to close the scoring. Both goals were assisted on by Filippa Graneld with Jazlynn Ellis also helping on the latter score.

Diana Garcia became the sixth Vulcan to score a goal this season, blasting an olimpico from the right corner just a few minutes into the second half.

Academy of Art recorded just one shot to Hawai’i Hilo’s 19 attempts. Phoebe Barnes had just one save in her fifth solo shutout of the season (16th of her career).

Hawai’i Hilo moved to a 2-0-0 record in the PacWest (5-0-2 overall) as Academy of Art moved to an 0-1-0 conference record (0-5-1 overall).

The Vulcans continue their homestand hosting Dominican (Oct. 6), Jessup (Oct. 12) and Menlo (Oct. 15) at the Vulcan Soccer Field. Hawai’i Hilo will host an autograph signing session following this Sunday’s matchup with the Penguins.

Top four teams in the regular season standings will qualify for the first PacWest Conference Championships postseason tournament set for Nov. 14-16 at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

In the United Soccer Coaches Division II Rankings released this past Tuesday, Hawai’i Hilo came in at the No. 25 spot in the Top 25 Week 4 Poll, earning its first national ranking of the season.

The Vulcans also moved up one spot in the West Regional poll to No. 5 — reclaiming their original slot in the preseason poll.

Men’s soccer wins

Hawai’i Hilo men’s soccer remained unbeaten on its home field with a 2-1 victory over Academy of Art in Pacific West Conference action Tuesday afternoon at the Vulcan Soccer Field.

Kanata Taira and Gabriel Gallardo netted goals for the Vulcans with assists from Brian Trujillo and Felix Drizinsky, respectively. In the 37th minute, Trujillo intercepted an ART U pass at midfield and immediately sent it back down to find an open Taira for the first score from the top of the penalty box. Later, just a few minutes into the second half, Drizinsky sent a long cross in from the right side of the box and Gallardo made a spectacular leaping header through the top-right pocket of the goal.

Academy of Art’s Tommy Huang was issued a red card in the 73rd minute, but the Urban Knights still managed a man-down score just five minutes later to erase the shutout.

Hawai’i Hilo moved to 1-1-0 in the PacWest (6-2-0 overall) while Academy of Art moved to an 0-1-0 conference record (1-4-1 overall).

The Vulcans continue their homestand hosting Dominican (Oct. 6), Jessup (Oct. 12) and Menlo (Oct. 15) at the Vulcan Soccer Field. Hawai’i Hilo will host an autograph signing session following this Sunday’s matchup with the Penguins.

Top four teams in the regular season standings will qualify for the first PacWest Conference Championships postseason tournament set for Nov. 14-16 at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

Volleyball powers through

Taylor Tullo racked up 18 kills with just three attack errors to help lead Hawai’i Hilo Women’s Volleyball to a four-set victory over Academy of Art in a Pacific West Conference rematch Tuesday evening at the Kezar Pavilion.

The two teams had just met up in Hilo two weeks prior with the Urban Knights managing to escape and flip a straight-sets loss into a reverse sweep. This time, the Vulcans again went up two sets to none with ART U managing to get the next set back, but Tullo’s 13 total kills through the last two frames helped seal the win. Overall, Tullo finished with a .429 hitting percentage and attacked at a .522 rate through the last two sets.

Chase Koepke also tallied double-digit kills with 10 (.296). Maya Imoto-Eakin posted a double-double with 24 assists and 12 digs.

With the victory, sixth-year head coach Chris Leonard also earned win No. 78 with the Vulcans, moving into a tie for second all-time in program history.

Hawai’i Hilo moved to 3-1 in the PacWest (8-6 overall) as Academy of Art moved to a 2-3 conference record (3-10 overall).

The Vulcans continue through Northern California with matchups against Menlo (Oct. 3) and Jessup (Oct. 5).

Next home games will be a seven-match slate — sandwiched around two O’ahu contests — starting Oct. 10 and running through the beginning of November.