HILO — The Hawai’i Hilo men’s soccer team nabbed a big win in its return home, shutting out Fresno Pacific, 3-0, Saturday afternoon in Pacific West Conference play at the Vulcan Soccer Field.
Mirai Sato found the back of the net for the second consecutive match, this time putting through the first (42’) and last (67’) scores. Sato made long-range connections with Aidan Santos and Felix Drizinsky for assists on each respective goal.
Gen Takahashi put through the middle score after drawing a foul inside the penalty area. Takahashi’s penalty-kick attempt was saved by the FPU keeper but the junior — making his fourth start of the season — cleaned up on the deflection for the 54th-minute goal.
Reigning PacWest Conference Defender of the Week Paul Waschkau made his seventh start in goal but was subbed out in the first half and did not return to the match. Waschkau and Christian Souza combined for five saves to post the Vulcans’ fifth shutout of the season (first combined).
Hawai’i Hilo moved to 5-4-1 in the PacWest (10-5-1 overall) as Fresno Pacific moved to a 5-4-0 conference record (6-5-5 overall).
Top four teams of regular season standings qualify for inaugural PacWest Conference Championships postseason tournament set for Nov. 14-16 (Irvine, California / Orange County Great Park). Newcomers Menlo, Vanguard and Jessup are in Year 2 of a three-year NAIA-NCAA transition period and are thus ineligible for postseason play.
Point Loma has already claimed one of the four spots with Westmont, Hawai’i Hilo, Fresno Pacific, Biola, Concordia, Azusa Pacific and HPU still in contention. With only one match remaining for the Vulcans, it’ll be a matter of winning and/or waiting for results to finalize across the league over the next few weeks.
Other notes
• Hawai’i Hilo second-year head coach Diego Marroquin brought his win total to 20 after posting consecutive double-digit win seasons. Marroquin is one win away from tying program leaders Cam Camarena (08-09) and Paul Regrutto (06, 18-21).
• This is just the fourth time Hawai’i Hilo Men’s Soccer has reached double-digit wins in its 19-year history, and just the second time of having back-to-back double-digit win seasons.
• Aidan Santos brought his career assists total to nine, moving into a three-way tie at No. 3 in the Vulcans program record book — Dustin Daley (07-08) and Jonathan Garcia (16-17).
• Christian Souza brought his career saves total to 150 (Vulcans all-time leader).
Up next: Senior Night – 12:30 p.m. Saturday vs. Chaminade (Hilo / Vulcan Soccer Field)
Women blank Sunbirds
No. 21 Hawai’i Hilo clinched a spot in the inaugural Pacific West Conference Championships with a shutout of Fresno Pacific, 3-0, Saturday afternoon at the Vulcan Soccer Field.
Teani Arakawa (8’), Jazlynn Ellis (59’) and Shea Christiansen (63’) did the scoring for the Vulcans in the victory to join Point Loma in occupying two of the four qualifying spots for the conference postseason tournament. Savina Zamborini, Arakawa and Alyssa Padron were all credited with assists on Hawai’i Hilo’s scores.
“We’ve been putting in the work to put ourselves in the position we want to be to battle for another championship,” ninth-year head coach Gene Okamura said. “The team bounced back well from our last game and now we know we’ll have much more to go, but we’ll get back to work next week and focus on preparing for Chaminade to finish the regular season.”
Hawai’i Hilo moved to a 8-1-1 record in the PacWest (11-1-3 overall) as Fresno Pacific moved to a 3-5-1 conference record (4-7-3 overall).
Currently, the Vulcans hold the top position in the standings with 25 points and just one match to go, but PLNU (8-1-0) creeps behind with 24 points and still two more contests to be played.
Other notes
• Teani Arakawa’s three points brings her 2024 total to 25, tying Grace VerHage (2022) for sixth highest in a single season by a Vulcan. Ahead at No. 4 is Arakawa’s 2023 season mark of 27 points.
• Alyssa Padron notched career assist No. 11, moving into a three-way tie at No. 4 with Brianna Lopiccolo (11-12) and Daelenn Tokunaga (20-22) in the program record book.
• Jazlynn Ellis slid into the Vulcans top 10 career lists with 13 goals (No. 10) and 34 points (tied at No. 8).
• This was the Vulcans’ 12th shutout of the season — third combined between Phoebe Barnes and Kaytlin Blair.
Up next: Senior Night – 3:30 p.m. Saturday vs. Chaminade (Hilo / Vulcan Soccer Field)