WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Penalty kicks almost doomed the Vulcans, but the Hawai'i Hilo men's soccer team turned the tide late to defeat Hawai'i Pacific, 3-2, Sunday afternoon in Pacific West Conference action at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex Stadium.
The Vulcans got on the scoreboard early with Aidan Santos (Hilo, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Prep Academy) finding a lane down the right side of the field and crossing the ball in toward Tom Vorkastner (Tangstedt, Germany/Gymnasium Heidberg), who tapped it over to Gabriel Gallardo (Anaheim Hills, Calif./Canyon HS) for the 19th-minute goal.
Later in the half, Koki Hamada (Kita, Tokyo, Japan/High Mowing School) was called on a foul trying to defend inside the Vulcans' own penalty area, setting up a penalty-kick score for HPU's Gerrit Arzberger to tie the game.
After intermission, the Vulcans again were called on a foul, this time on Brady O'Neill (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta HS), granting the Sharks another penalty kick and another conversion by Arzberger.
Then in the blink of an eye, UH Hilo flipped the score in the span of five minutes starting at the 61st-minute mark.
First, getting a penalty kick try after Aidan Santos (Hilo, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Prep Academy) was fouled inside the Sharks' penalty area. Alexander Hernandez-Herbach (Pasadena, Calif./Pasadena HS) took the PK and was defended against correctly, but he quickly knocked the rebounded ball into the open net for the equalizer.
A few minutes later, Santos sent a longball down from midfield causing the HPU keeper to come up field to defend against Hernandez-Herbach. But after heading the ball out, Vorkastner gathered the deflection and hit the empty net from 30 yards out for the game-winning score.
What's Next
Hawai'i Hilo improved to 3-4-3 overall, 2-1-1 PacWest while Hawai'i Pacific fell to 1-2-0 PacWest (3-4-2 overall).
For the time being, UH Hilo holds the No. 3 spot in the conference standings with seven points.
The Vulcans will return to the Big Island for a final two-game home stand against Fresno Pacific (Oct. 15) and Holy Names (Oct. 18).
The Sharks will host the same two teams over the next two weeks.
