HILO, Hawai'i – The No. 14 Hawai'i Hilo Women's Soccer team opened its season with a big win in a top-25 showdown as Teani Arakawa blasted two goals to power the Vulcans past No. 22 Colorado Colorado Springs, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at the Vulcan Soccer Field.
Arakawa got the Vulcans on the scoreboard in the 17th minute with a beauty of a shot. After twirling through a defender on the left side to send them tumbling, Arakawa sized up another UCCS defender before launching and hitting the top-left corner from about 22 yards out.
"Nobody was stepping to me, so I found an open shot and took it. I didn't expect it to go in, but I just ripped it," Arakawa said.
Later in the early stages of the second half, Filippa Graneld sent a deep long ball down the field to a two-on-one race with Arakawa in possession as she flicked it in from near the top of the penalty box to give the Vulcans a 2-0 lead.
Arakawa came on strong as an offensive weapon in the latter parts of 2022, and now through the last eight games dating back to last season, the Maui-native has accumulated 20 points with eight goals. She also unofficially had four scores in an exhibition match a few weeks ago.
"My goal was to come back here and pretty much get better than I was last year — be better and score more," Arakawa said.
Shortly after Hawai'i Hilo extended its lead, the Mountain Lions came right back to stay within striking distance. Ciara Garcia found the back of the net on an assist from Anna Vince in the 48th minute.
As time ticked down, UCCS picked up the aggression and threatened to tie late in the game, but the Vulcans held strong to close out the victory to start the season at 1-0-0.
Phoebe Barnes made the start in goal for the Vulcans, totaling three saves for the win. Isabella Whitmore made five saves for the Mountain Lions.
Other Hawai'i Hilo starters included: Nanea Wall, Alyssa Padron, Alia Bournay, Kierstyn Yamamoto, Jazlynn Ellis, Jacelyn Cambra, Miya Clarke and Myah Patterson.
The win marks eighth-year head coach Gene Okamura's ('10) second career win over a top 25 ranked opponent.
The Mountain Lions — much like the Vulcans — were voted to finish as the No. 2 team in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
UCCS moved to a 0-1-1 record.
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Hawai'i Hilo will have a quick turnaround and will island-hop to O'ahu Tuesday to take on Northwest Nazarene (1-0-1) at 11 a.m. at Chaminade University of Honolulu. The Nighthawks were Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships runner-ups a season ago.
The Vulcans will then return home for matchup with Stanislaus State on Sept. 15 at the Vulcan Soccer Field.
