SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Filippa Graneld (Stockholm, Sweden/Stockholms Idrottsgymnasium) netted a pair of goal-scoring launches to help power the Hawai'i Hilo women's soccer team past San Francisco State, 3-1, Thursday afternoon in non-conference play at Cox Stadium.
Graneld scored twice within the span of two and a half minutes early in the match, first hitting from 80 feet out in the 15th minute followed by a 93-footer in the 18th minute.
The first score was set up off a corner kick with a short pass to Graneld on the near-side edge of the penalty area. Her shot attempt was blocked back toward midfield where Jacelyn Cambra (Hilo, Hawai'i/Waiakea HS) corralled the deflection and sent it right back to Graneld for attempt No. 2, this time about five yards deeper and with a clear path up and over into the top of the goal.
Minutes later, Alyssa Padron's (San Pedro, Calif./Palos Verdes HS) head was on the receiving end of a SFSU-goal kick as the ball sputtered back toward the Gators goal. Graneld stopped a SFSU-clear attempt then set herself up for another long launch — this time from the other edge of the penalty area — up and over the keeper once again to find the back of the net.
The Vulcans maintained the 2-0 lead until late in the match when Jodi Lillie (Mililani, Hawai'i/Mililani HS) reversed the playing field on a clearout down the middle with Daelenn Tokunaga (Waipahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City HS) facilitating a two-on-one advantage to drop it off to Nanea Wall (Kealakekua, Hawai'i/Konawaena HS) for the score from the top of the penalty arc.
San Francisco State's AJ Tanner prevented the shutout and took the Gators' lone shot-on-goal of the contest, sneaking a long-range shot over the top from 94 feet out.
Freshman Lolo Retsky (Calabasas, Calif./Sierra Canyon School) again got the start in goal for the Vulcans as she improved to 2-0.
Marcella Salyer made three saves for the Gators.
WHAT'S NEXT
Hawai'i Hilo improved to 2-0-0 as San Francisco State fell to 0-3-0.
The Gators will play three more Pacific West Conference teams as part of their non-conference slate with matchups against Academy of Art, Concordia Irvine and Dominican.
The Vulcans continue their road trip with a scheduled match with Stanislaus State on Sept. 10 and Regis on Sept. 12.
Note that Saturday's game was pushed back an hour to a 7 p.m. PT start time due to high temperatures from extreme heat in California.
The Warriors were also set to host Sonoma State Thursday night, but the contest was canceled due to poor air quality.
AMONGST THE BEST IN THE WEST
In the first United Soccer Coaches Top 25 polls released this past Tuesday, Hawai'i Hilo was voted at the No. 7 spot out of 10 teams in the west region.
PacWest Conference-mates Point Loma Nazarene (No. 2), Concordia Irvine (No. 4) and Azusa Pacific (No. 8) also landed in the rankings.
Saturday's opponent Stanislaus State is ranked at the fifth spot.
