HILO, Hawai'i – Shae Dougherty's 68th-minute insurance goal held up as the game-winner before back-to-back scores from Delaney Barbee and Elise Flores in the final minutes sealed a 4-1 win for Hawai'i Hilo Women's Soccer over Westmont on Thursday afternoon in Pacific West Conference play at the Vulcan Soccer Field.
Drew Sievers opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, heading in a long-range free kick from Diana Garcia — her first Vulcans score (again). Dougherty doubled the lead in the 68th minute, working a goal-kick restart into a quick flip with Mia Berney for the score. It was also Dougherty's first score as a Vulcan.
Westmont managed to cut the deficit to 2-1 on an unassisted goal from Ainsley Martin in the 78th minute.
Barbee then restored the two-goal margin in the 86th minute, driving a low shot from the right side that skipped through a Westmont defender's failed clearance attempt and into the net. Flores, who set up that score, added her own (fifth career) just over a minute later, finishing another long-range free kick from Garcia (15th career point and 10th with the Vulcans).
Thursday's win moved Hawai'i Hilo closer toward clinching one of four spots in the PacWest Conference Championships with the Vulcans now tied for third with 12 points.
GAME NOTES
- Hawai'i Hilo has extended its unbeaten run to 10 matches, going 6-0-4 since Sept. 4.
- Total Shots: Hawai'i Hilo 14, Westmont 7
- Total Shots-On-Goal: Hawai'i Hilo 7, Westmont 2
- First Appearance of Season: Ari Hill, Camila Abrego, Peyton Looney, Kaitlyn Brooks
- Vulcans 11th-year head coach Gene Okamura earned career win No. 90 with the Hawai'i Hilo Women's Soccer program.
- Sievers was originally credited with her first score of the season on the first goal of the Sept. 28 match at Vanguard, but it was later changed to an assist after it was determined the ball had already crossed the goal line before Sievers' originally credited header.
- Hawai'i Hilo: 6-2-4 Overall (3-0-3 PacWest)
- Nickname: Vulcans
- Conference Preseason Poll: No. 3
- Current Conference Standing: No. T3
- NPI Rank (Oct. 11): No. 96
- Westmont: 2-7-3 Overall (1-5-0 PacWest)
- Nickname: Warriors
- Santa Barbara, California
- Conference Preseason Poll: No. 6
- Current Conference Standing: No. T6
- NPI Rank (Oct. 11): No. 191
- Thursday's match was Oktoberfest, with fans treated to a free root beer float.
UP NEXT
- Saturday, Oct. 17 (12:30 PM) at HPU (Waipahu, Hawai'i)
- Wednesday, Oct. 21 (12:30 PM) vs Jessup (Vulcan Soccer Field)
- Monday, Oct. 26 (12:30 PM) vs Dominican (Vulcan Soccer Field)
VULCAN CHALLENGE
Hawai'i Hilo Athletics has launched its annual Vulcan Challenge, a month-long fundraising campaign running from Sept. 21 through Oct. 23 to support scholarships, travel, training and other essential resources for the Vulcans' 12 NCAA Division II teams. To support, visit HiloAthletics.com/VC.
PACWEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The top four teams in the conference standings will qualify for the 2026 PacWest Championships, hosted by Hawai'i Hilo on Nov. 5-7 at the Vulcan Soccer Field. The Vulcans made an appearance in last year's PacWest Championships semifinal round. Hawai'i Hilo was voted No. 3 earlier in this year's conference preseason coaches poll.
