TURLOCK, California – Hawai'i Hilo Men's Soccer's season continues after upending Western Oregon, 3-2, Friday afternoon in NCAA Super 4 Regional First Round Action at Stanislaus State's Warrior Stadium.

Mirai Sato headed in the game winner with minutes to spare, using the noggin to knock in an 89th-minute score off a corner kick by Palli Ingvason. It was Sato's second goal of the match, coming less than five minutes after Western Oregon managed to put in the equalizer on a penalty kick (84th minute) after drawing a foul inside the box.

Sato's first score came in the 10th minute — also on a corner kick. Lukas Stark sent the ball in from the corner and Iago Perez Ferreiro headed over a second-chance ball for Sato to flush through the top shelf from directly in front of the goal.

WOU's Alex Grignon tied the score up out of halftime, also on a corner kick as the ball was ping-ponged around before managing to get through the posts.

Sophomore Kanilau Tolentino-Perry scored his second career goal, taking advantage of a misplaced WOU pass deep on their end of the field to give the Vulcans the lead in the 68th minute.

GAME NOTES

• This was Vulcans Men's Soccer's first appearance and victory in the NCAA postseason.
• Sato is now tied with Perez Ferreiro with 17 points this season to rank tied at No. 5 in the program's single-season record books. Sato also moved to a tie at No. 7 with seven goals this fall.
• Sato's all-time program rankings: No. 3 Goals (12) and No. T5 Points (27)
• Hawai'i Hilo: 12-5-2 Overall (7-2-1 PacWest)
• Western Oregon: 10-5-4 Overall (6-2-2 PacWest)
  • GNAC Tournament Champions
• The two teams previously met earlier this fall in Oregon with the Wolves managing to come out victorious, 3-1, at the tail end of the Vulcans' season-opening road trip at the beginning of September.

NCAA SUPER 4 REGIONAL (TURLOCK, CALIFORNIA AT STANISLAUS STATE)

• Friday, Nov. 21 (First Round): (#8) Western Oregon 2 - (#9) Hawai'i Hilo 3
• Sunday, Nov. 23 (Second Round): (#1) Stanislaus State vs (#9) Hawai'i Hilo
• Sunday, Nov. 30 (Third Round): TBD vs (#4) Midwestern State/(#5) Seattle Pacific
• Saturday, Dec. 6 (Championship): TBD

The Pacific West Conference tournament runner-up Vulcans were one of five teams to land an at-large bid for the NCAA postseason, following the five conference champions from the PacWest (Point Loma), CCAA (Stanislaus State), GNAC (Western Oregon), Lone Star Conference (Midwestern State) and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (Colorado Colorado Springs) that make up the Super 4 Region.

NCAA SUPER 4 REGION

(1) Stanislaus State (CCAA Champion) *
(2) Cal State Dominguez Hills (CCAA) *
(3) Point Loma (PacWest Champion) *
(4) Midwestern State (LSC Champion) *
(5) Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
(6) Cal State San Bernardino (CCAA)
(7) Cal State LA (CCAA)
(8) Western Oregon (GNAC Champion)
(9) Hawai'i Hilo (PacWest)
(10) Colorado Colorado Springs (RMAC Champion)

* First/Second Round Site Host