HAWAI?I ADVANCES TO FIRST-EVER NCAA TOURNAMENT ? The University of Hawai?i Rainbow Wahine soccer team made program history with a 1-0 win over Fresno State in the WAC Tournament championship Sunday afternoon at the Boas Soccer Complex in Boise, Idaho. The Rainbow Wahine captured their first-ever WAC Tournament title which also gave Hawai?i the WAC’s automatic bid and its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Rainbow Wahine will face Colorado in the opening round of the NCAA Soccer College Cup on Friday, Nov. 16. This will be the second-ever meeting between the Buffaloes and the Rainbow Wahine. Hawai?i is 1-0 all-time against Colorado, with its single matchup back in Colorado’s first season in 1996, when Hawai?i came to Boulder and beat the Buffs 3-2. The University of Colorado in Boulder will host the first and second rounds, with the Hawai?i/Colorado winner playing the No. 2 Portland/Denver winner on Sunday, Nov. 18.
The 26th annual NCAA Division I Women’s College Cup Finals will be played Dec. 7 and 9 in College Station, Texas. Texas A&M University, the city of College Station and the Aggie Soccer Complex will serve as hosts.
CHECKING OUT THE BUFFALOES ? Colorado finished the regular season 9-7-4 and earned an at-large bid to this season’s NCAA Tournament. The Buffaloes are making their fifth-ever NCAA College Cup appearance and will look to repeat their tournament run last year as they defeated Colorado College and Denver in Boulder to advance to the Sweet 16 before falling to No.1 Notre Dame in South Bend. Colorado has scored 24 goals this season while also allowing 24 goals. Offensively, the Buffaloes are led by Nikki Marshall (nine goals and two assists), and anchored by junior defender Michelle Wenino. Goalkeepers Kara Linder and Kirstin Radlinski have recorded nine total shutouts for the Buffaloes and have a combined 1.14 goals against average. Colorado is 4-4-1 in home matches this season. The Buffaloes head coach Bill Hempen is in his seventh season and has a career record of 78-50-19 with Colorado. He is among the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I women’s soccer history, with 240 career wins, good for 20th on the active list.
HAWAI?I WINS FIRST-EVER WAC TOURNAMENT ? After a tightly contested battle and scoreless first period, Hawai?i sophomore Emma Makepa-Foley netted a goal in the 58th-minute off a free kick from 15 yards. The goal came on a header when Nicole Mikula served the ball from the right flank into the box, where Makepa-Foley flicked the ball off the left post and into the back of the net. It was Makepa-Foley’s third and most important goal of the season, as the 1-0 victory over Fresno State sealed the Rainbow Wahine’s first-ever WAC Tournament title. Hawai?i received the WAC automatic berth and advances to its first-ever NCAA Tournament. It was Fresno State’s fourth WAC Tournament final, while it was Hawai?i’s second trip to the championship match.
Despite being out-shot 15-9 for the match, including 11-3 in the second half, the Rainbow Wahine were able to hold off the Bulldog offensive threat. Hawai?i goalkeepers Kori Lu and Nicole McClure combined for the shutout win, and did not allow a goal in either match of this season’s WAC Tournament.
In the first semifinal match on Nov. 9, top-seeded Hawai?i pulled out a double overtime thriller over Utah State when Koren Takeyama lofted the ball into the corner of the net from just outside the left win of the goalie box. This was the Rainbow Wahine’s second-ever double overtime match in a WAC Tournament, with the first coming in their quarterfinal match against Tulsa in 2004. This was Utah State’s first WAC Tournament match going into extra periods.
Through a barrage of cards and penalties, third-seeded Fresno State defeated second-seeded Boise State, 4-1 in the second semifinal match. The Bulldogs have now advanced to the WAC title match three-straight seasons, capturing the WAC championship in 2005, which was the last time the tournament was held in Boise. The Bulldogs were led by midfielder Chelsea Davis’ two goals. The game-winning goal was scored by Andrea Salvador, who also scored the game-winner against Nevada in the quarterfinals.
In the opening quarterfinal match of the tournament, No. 4 Utah State defeated No. 5 San Jose State, 4-0. Behind a solid two-goal performance by junior forward Candice Clark, the Aggies notched their first-ever win in the WAC Tournament. In the second quarterfinal match, No. 3 Fresno State defeated No. 6 Nevada in a re-match of the 2006 WAC Tournament championship match, 1-0. The Bulldogs shut down the Wolf Pack behind a shutout effort from freshman goalkeeper Kaity Revel. Fresno State scored in the 89th-minute on a goal by senior Andrea Salvador. The senior knocked in a 17-yard shot off the pass from Ali Sill.
2007 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Andrea Salvador, F, Fresno State
Taryn Fukuroku, F, Hawai?i
Candice Clark, F, Utah State
Ali Sill, MF, Fresno State
Jessica Domingo, MF, Hawai?i
Abby Hunt, MF, Utah State
Andrea Alires, D, Fresno State
Koren Takeyama, D, Hawai?i
Kaity Revel, GK, Fresno State
*Chelsea Deptula, D, Hawai?i
*MVP
HAWAI?I CAPTURES THIRD REGULAR SEASON TITLE? The University of Hawai?i Rainbow Wahine soccer team captured the 2007 WAC regular season title with a 7-0 rout of Idaho in the final match of the regular season, claiming their third WAC championship for the Rainbow Wahine, who also took home the conference title in 2003 and 2005. The Rainbow Wahine finished conference play with a 6-1-0 record in WAC matches, holding five of its seven opponents scoreless.
FINAL POINT TOTALS ? The following are the final point totals for the 2007 WAC Soccer season:
Hawai?i 18
Fresno State 16
Boise State 16
Utah State 15
Nevada 6
San Jose State 6
Idaho 4
Louisiana Tech 1
WAC IN THE NCAA ? The WAC boasts three teams and three individuals that rank in the top 30 in statistical categories and single-match highs. Hawai?i is sixth in the NCAA in scoring offense (2.81), tied for 16th in shutout percentage (0.571) and tied for 24th in won-lost-tied percentage (0.762). The Rainbow Wahine are also tied for second in the NCAA in team goals with a single-match high of 11 (vs. Hawaii Pacific, 9/30). Utah State is tied for fifth in the NCAA in team goals with a single-match high of 10 (vs. Louisiana Tech, 11/3) and Boise State is tied for ninth in team goals with a single-match high of 9 (vs. Southern Utah, 9/9).
Shannon Saxton of Boise State is fifth in the NCAA in goals per game (0.895) and sixth in the NCAA in points per game (2.05). In single-match highs, Saxton is also tied for first in the NCAA in goals (4) and tied for second in the NCAA in points (9).
Jessica Domingo of Hawai?i is tied for 21st in the NCAA in assists per game (0.50). In single-match highs, Domingo and teammate Alexis Choi are tied for 10th in the NCAA in assists (3).
BOISE STATE NABS TWO MORE TEAM RECORDS ? The Broncos have set 29 school records this season and tied three others. Boise State most recently set the school record for points in a season (116) and goals in a season (41).
BULLDOGS RACK UP GOALS IN 2007 ? Fresno State has netted 35 goals this season, giving the Bulldogs more goals this year than the past two seasons. In 2006, the Bulldogs tallied 22 goals and in 2005 they had 21 goals.
FRESNO STATE LEADS LEAGUE IN ATTENDANCE ? In eight home matches, the Bulldogs have averaged 1,136 fans this season. Fresno State attendance is up by an average of 199 fans per match from last year, when the Bulldogs finished ranked No. 18 in the nation and brought in an average of 937 fans.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME ? Hawai?i was undefeated this season at home (11-0-1) and have tied a school record for most home wins in a season.
VANDALS SHATTER RESULTS FROM SEASONS PAST ? In 2007, Idaho tallied five wins. No Idaho team since 2001 had won more than three. It took the Vandals just five games to score as many goals (7) as it did in all 19 matches last season. In 2007, Idaho shutout six of its opponents and in the 94 games prior to this year, the Vandals recorded only five shutouts.
LOUISIANA TECH OFFENSE LED BY FRESHMEN CHARGE ? Through 17 games, freshmen have combined for 10 of Tech’s 11 goals on the season. Kiva Gresham has four, Brooke Lanie has three, and Erika Rautio and Jillian Pinder have one apiece.
NEVADA’S MONTEJO ON POINT ? Junior Miranda Montejo became Nevada’s all-time leader in points this season, breaking the record of 39 set by Kaula Rowe (2000-03). Montejo broke the record with her goal against Sacramento State on Sept. 14, and increased her career point total to 41 with an assist versus San Francisco on Sept. 16.
SPARTANS KRALE AND ZABEK FACTOR INTO EVERY MATCH ? San Jose State’s Kristin Krale and fellow senior tri-captain Jackie Zabek have not missed a single match throughout their college careers, appearing in all 79 through Oct. 28. Krale has started every match, breaking the all-time school record for matches started on Oct. 28.
FOUR IS THE AGGIE NUMBER ? For the first time since 2004, Utah State has recorded four or more goals five times this season.
Boise State Broncos (9-7-3, 5-1-1 WAC)
Boise State’s entered the WAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed after a winning the draw over Fresno State ... the Broncos saw their season come to an end when they suffered a 4-1 loss at the hands of third-seeded Fresno State in the WAC Tournament semifinals ... Boise State ended its 10th season and fourth-straight winning season on record ... the Broncos will send out a group of 11 seniors, which are the winningest class in Boise State history ... senior midfielder Brittney Dugger scored the Broncos only goal in the WAC Tournament when she nailed a penatly kick to even the score to 1-1 with the Bulldogs ... freshman Shannon Saxton earned Freshman of the Year honors, while Dugger and fellow senior Erin Wofford were named second team all-WAC.
Fresno State Bulldogs (13-7-1, 5-1-1 WAC)
Fresno State earned the No. 3 seed in the WAC Tournament and moved into the semifinal match after Andrea Salvador netted a goal in the 89-minute to beat No. 6 Nevada, 1-0 ... the Bulldogs clawed their way past host and second-seed Boise State with a 4-1 win to earn a spot in their third-straight WAC Tournament title match ... Despite out-shooting the Rainbow Wahine 15-9, Fresno State fell to No. 1 Hawai?i in the championship match, 1-0 ... four Bulldogs were named to the all-tournament team, including forward Andrea Salvador, midfielder Ali Sill, defender Andreas Alires and goalkeeper Kaity Revel ... Fresno State also earned six members on the all-WAC first and second teams.
Hawai?i Rainbow Wahine (15-4-2, 6-1-0 WAC)
Hawai?i earned the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the WAC Tournament before facing No. 4 Utah State in the semifinals ... the Rainbow Wahine pulled out a double overtime thriller over the Aggies, winning 1-0 on a score by Koren Takeyama ... Hawai?i captured its first-ever WAC Tournament championship and also earned its first NCAA Tournament berth with a 1-0 win over No. 3 Fresno State in the WAC title match ... sophomore forward Ambree Ako was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year, while defender Tehane Higa earned Defensive Player of the Year honors ... the Rainbow Wahine continue their quest for success when they face Colorado in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Idaho Vandals (5-12-1, 1-5-1 WAC)
Idaho split a pair of road matches last weekend, first beating San Jose State 1-0, before falling to eventual regular season champion Hawai?i, 7-0 ... the Vandals were led offensively by Erika Teixeira, who scored the goal in the win against the Spartans, keeping Idaho in the hunt for a tournament berth, and also giving the Vandals their first conference victory in over two years ... sophomore goalkeeper Anna Sandman broke the Idaho school record for saves in a season (92) after tallying six saves last weekend ... the Vandals needed to upset the Rainbow Wahine in their final game of the season to qualify for the tournament, and have thus been eliminated from championship contention.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (2-14-1, 0-6-1 WAC)
Louisiana Tech saw its season come to an end after falling to Utah State in its fianl league match of the season, 10-1 ... sophomore midfielder Kat McCullough netted her first goal in the season in the loss to the Aggies ... the Lady Techsters remains winless all-time in conference play ... under first-season head coach Kevin Sherry, the beginnings of a solid foundation were established for the young players to grow and learn from ... after recording a 0-6-1 record in conference matches, the Lady Techsters were eliminated from championship contention, and thus will not participate in this weekend’s WAC tournament championship.
Nevada Wolf Pack (6-11-1, 2-5-0 WAC)
Nevada entered the WAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed and were matched up against the third-seeded Fresno State Bulldogs in the quarterfinals ... the Wolf Pack suffered a 1-0 heart-breaking loss when the Bulldogs scored the game-winning goal in the 89th-minute of the match ... while both teams had several chances to score throughout the match, Fresno State held a 13-12 advantage in overall shots, with the one-shot difference determining the outcome of the match ... the Wolf Pack were led by junior defender Patrice Godwin, who earned second team all-WAC honors for the season.
San Jose State Spartans (4-15-2, 2-5-0 WAC)
San Jose State earned the No. 5 seed in the WAC Tournament and were the first team eliminated from the Championship when the Spartans fell 4-0 to No. 4 Utah State in the opening match ... San Jose State and Utah State were even throughout the match in both saves and corner kicks at four apiece, with the Aggies holding a 17-12 edge in shots taken ... eight seniors concluded their Spartan careers and were a part of head coach Dave Siracusa’s first recruting class ... junior Jackie Zabek led the offensive punch for the Spartans and she also earned second team all-WAC honors for her work at the midfielder position.
Utah State Aggies (10-11-0, 5-2-0 WAC)
Utah State entered the WAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed after coming off three-straight victories with 17 goals scored in those three winning matches ... the Aggies rolled over the No. 5 San Jose State Spartans, 4-0, to earn a spot in the semifinal match against No. 1 Hawai?i ... Utah State fell to the Rainbow Wahine in a 1-0 double overtime heartbreaker when Hawai?i netted a goal just 39 seconds into the second overtime ... two Aggies, forward Candice Clark and midfielder Abby Hunt, earned WAC All-Tournament team honors ... Clark and Hunt were also joined by teammates Lindsey Smart and Lauren Hansen on the all-WAC team.
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