WAIPAHU, Hawai`i—In a battle between two of the top defensive teams in the Pacific West Conference, one goal by your offense might be enough to win the match.

Four goals would be something that would maybe happen on another day against a different opponent.

The Hawai`i Hilo Vulcans scored four times and their defense pitched a shutout during a 4-0 win over host Hawai`i Pacific on Saturday afternoon at Waipio Field. It was a revenge win for the Vulcans, who lost to the Sharks 1-0 last month in a non-league match in Hilo. More importantly, it was a PacWest victory for UHH who improved to 3-2-1 in league action and to 6-3-1 overall.

The Sharks dropped to 6-4-1 on the season and to 2-3-1 in conference action.

Bryana-Marie Ebbers scored, Carlie Reader had a goal and an assist and Danika Steele and Astrid Perez scored for the first time this season. Defensively, UH Hilo goalkeeper Jenna Hufford had five saves in recording her fourth shutout of the season in a complete, 90-minute performance by the Vulcans.

The numbers in the match were very similar, except for the final score. UH Hilo had 14 shots , seven of them on goal. The Sharks had 13 shots, five of them had to be saved by Hufford. The Vulcans had the edge in corner kicks, 7-2.

UH Hilo scored first to put the pressure on their hosts. Ebbers took a cross from Kayela Santiago to get the Vulcans on the board 12:45 into the contest. It was Ebbers' fourth goal of the season and Santiago's fourth assist.

The Vulcans put another score in the books right before the end of the half on Steele's first score of the year, giving the visitors a big 2-0 lead at the break.

The first 35 minutes of the second half, the Vulcans did their job keeping the Sharks out of the net, looking to solidify the win on the defensive end. Coach Gene Okamura's team then added extra insurance with two more points in the final 10 minutes. The first came in the 81^st minute when Reader scored her fifth goal of the season. Reader, who had assisted on Steele's goal, received a pass from Sabrina Scott to make it 3-0.

The Vulcans added the final nail in the coffin when Perez scored in the 88^th minute. Leighana Weaver got the assist, her first of the year.

It was the third win in a row for the Vulcans, who moved into fourth place in the PacWest with the victory.

UH Hilo will now use this coming week to savor the victory and prepare for a three-match road trip that begins in San Diego at Point Loma on Saturday, Oct. 14.