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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, September 4, 2006

Hawai'i defeats Winthrop for title

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i women's soccer player Kristen Oshiro got on her cellular phone immediately after last night's game to call her father with the good news: She scored her first collegiate goal.

But, she exclaimed: "My dad already knows, how lame!"

She also told him the Rainbow Wahine beat Winthrop, 3-0, to win the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in front of 1,332 fans.

Winthrop (2-2-0) defeated Kent State (1-2-1), 1-0, in double overtime Saturday night to finish in second place in the tournament.

Like Oshiro, sophomore midfielder Kelli-Anne Chang, who scored twice last night, notched her first collegiate goals for the Rainbow Wahine (3-1-0), who take a three-game winning streak to Tucson, Ariz., on Friday.

"It means a lot that we can be counted on," Chang said.

Oshiro, whose father Lance lives in San Diego but had family in the stands who already called him, said she was "stoked to go from sitting on the bench last year to scoring. It's a turnaround. I'm blessed."

Chang scored on a 25-yard shot in the 18th minute on an assist from freshman forward Ambree Ako and junior midfielder Jessica Domingo, who started the play on a cross, which Ako headed to Chang.

"I saw the ball go to (Ako) and I followed her," Chang said. "I must have called for it because she passed it to me."

Chang picked up an assist on Oshiro's score in the 26th minute. Chang's corner kick from the right side was headed down by sophomore defender Tehane Higa and Oshiro finished the play with a spinning volley into the upper right corner of the goal.

"I said, 'The goal is behind me, I'm going to turn around and whack it,' " said Oshiro, a sophomore midfielder.

Chang scored her second on assists by Oshiro and sophomore forward Taryn Fukuroku in 52nd minute. After Higa stole the ball in Hawai'i's half, Domingo sent a long ball to the right side for Chang, who crossed the ball. Fukuroku flicked the ball back to Chang, who finished the play on a low shot to the left corner.

"I think we're connecting a lot more," Chang said. "We know where we're going to be."

The play was indicative of the possession soccer Hawai'i has been utilizing this season.

"We work on that," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said. "We know hitting long balls into the (penalty) box, we're not going to have much success, because of our size."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.