Mari Punzal scored her first goal of the season, a header in the 69th minute, to lift the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Louisiana Tech yesterday in Ruston, La.

The Rainbow Wahine improved to 5-8-0 overall and 1-2-0 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Britta Bourne gave Hawai'i a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute off an assist from Ambree Ako. But the Lady Techsters (11-5-1, 0-5-0) came right back when Kiva Gresham scored in the 24th minute off a pass from Scotti Culton.

The Rainbow Wahine took the lead when, off a corner kick, Kristyn Shapka set up Punzal's header.

Hawai'i travels to Las Cruces, N.M., to face New Mexico State tomorrow.

MORE SOCCER

BYUH women win, 2-0: Natasha Aione and Tara McPartland scored 44 second apart early in the match as the Brigham Young University-Hawaii women defeated Birmingham Southern, 2-0, yesterday in a non-conference match at Läie.

Aiono scored her fourth goal of the season on a header off a free kick by Kami Strait in the 10th minute. McPartland took a pass from Emily Mearns and booted home her second goal of the season from 12 yards out 44 seconds later as the Seasiders improved to 9-2. BYUH goalkeeper Becky Ploeger picked up her fourth shutout of the season without having to make a single save as the Panthers (7-6) managed only two shots in the game.

GOLF

UH WOMEN 15TH

The University of Hawai'i women's golf team shot a 324 after the first round of the Stanford Intercollegiate yesterday at the Stanford Golf Course in Palo Alto, Calif.

The Rainbow Wahine are last in the 15-team tourney which includes four of the top-10 teams in the nation.

Brittany Bomar leads Hawaii with a 7-over 78 and is tied for 64th place

Third-ranked Arizona shot 11-under 273 to grab the team lead, and Madison Pressel of Texas fired a 6-under 65 for the individual lead.

UCLA's Stephanie Kono, a Punahou alum, is tied for eighth with a 69, while Denver's Kimberly Kim, a former Big Island resident, shot 77 and is tied for 62nd.

TENNIS

BYUH women advance: The top-seeded BYUH team of Yuan Jia and Jenny Chin defeated Tereza Sykorova and Sabina Babaeradova of Francis Marion, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1, yesterday in the final of the ITA Small College Championships Division II Tournament at Mobile, Ala.

The Seasiders now advance to the Small College Super Bowl which pits the winners from NCAA II, NCAA III, the NAIA, and the junior college ranks.

In singles play, second-seed Jia beat Senka Softic of Florida Southern, 6-3, 6-1, to advance to today's final against top-seeded Sona Novakova of Armstrong Atlantic.

VOLLEYBALL

HPU rallies past Dominican: Kelly Balanay had 18 kills, Mariana Souza 11 and Sanoe Recca 10, helping Hawaii Pacific University rally past Dominican, 22-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 15-11, last night in a PacWest match at St. Andrew's Priory.

HPU (10-9, 7-3) used a 4-0 run to break away from a 4-all tie in the fifth set. Dominican closed to 13-11, but Shawntell Jones and Recca had consecutive kills to seal the victory. Gabby Pecora had 20 kills for Dominican (4-18, 0-9).

Chaminade gets swept: Dana Eddington had nine kills and Tommyka Henry added eight to lead Grand Canyon to a 25-22, 25-22, 25-16 sweep of Chaminade in a PacWest match last night at McCabe Gym.

Grand Canyon improved to 13-8 overall, 3-6 in the PacWest. Chaminade, led by freshman Whitney Viveiros with 11 kills and 15 digs, fell to 4-17, 2-9.

BYUH holds on: Losaline Fakaosi had 20 kills and Ane Vea added 14, leading Brigham Young-Hawaii to a 20-25, 25-19, 25-14, 21-25, 15-5 victory over Notre Dame de Namur last night in a PacWest match at Cannon Activities Center in Läie.

The Seasiders improved to 10-10 and 6-4. Alaynna Galeai and Breanna Morales each had 10 kills to lead the Argonauts (8-16, 5-5).