LAS VEGAS >> Opportunity finally knocked for kicker Alex Trifonovitch, and he answered it with three drought-ending field goals for the University of Hawaii on Saturday.
Trifonovitch, a redshirt sophomore, made good on field goals of 31, 38 and 27 yards in the Rainbows Warriors’ 31-23 loss to Nevada-Las Vegas. His first two accounted for UH’s only first-half points.
They were the first field goals of his UH career and the first for the ’Bows since the season opener at Massachusetts on Aug. 26.
Ryan Meskell (0-for-3) and Trifonovitch (0-for-1) had missed the four attempts since then.
Had he begun to wonder if he — or UH— would get one the rest of the season? “A little bit. I mean was just patiently waiting, just constantly working in practice hoping for an opportunity to do it,” Trifonovitch said. “And tonight it came.”
When the opportunity came, “I tried to treat it as if it was just any other kick,” Trifonovitch said.
Trifonovitch said, “If I would have missed it, I definitely would have been bummed a little bit, but going into each kick I kind of zoned out a little bit and forget about the situation. Each kick is different.”
After that, with his second and third efforts of the night, Trifonovitch said, “I had to focus on the next kick. I couldn’t sit in the moment and celebrate it all. I had to make sure I was ready for the next one.”
Trifonovitch said, “Regardless of the situation, if it came down to the wire where I had to kick the game-winner, then I was ready for that.”
Head coach Nick Rolovich said, “For a guy, for a team that hasn’t hit a field goal since August, that kept us in the football game. And, for him to bang three of them, I think, that gives him a lot of confidence. I think the team obviously appreciated it, but when he hit the first one it was kinda like the monkey off his back. Then he hit the other two to keep us in the football game.”
Saint Juste close to making UH history
One way or another Diocemy Saint Juste keeps producing the yardage for the Rainbow Warriors.
Saturday night, with 111 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, it was by grinding.
“Yes, it was a grind, but give the credit to UNLV,” Saint Juste said. “They made it tough.”
He also credited a patchwork offensive line that made do despite injuries.
It was the sixth time Saint Juste has reached 100 or more yards this season and the third time in the past four games. It gives him 11 career 100-yard performances, second in UH history only to Gary Allen, who has 15.
Saint Juste also closed in on Michael Carter’s school record for carries (221 in 1991) in a season, reaching 220 with 20 against the Rebels.
Turnovers end up as Catch-22 for UH
After starting the season with at least one turnover in its first seven games, UH has gone 11 quarters without committing one.
The last one came in the first quarter against San Jose State.
On a down note, it has lost the past two (San Diego State and UNLV) despite forcing one each against the opposition.
Noa produces in first start
Redshirt freshman Kumoku Noa celebrated his first start at wide receiver by making two catches for 57 yards.
The Kamehameha Schools graduate’s longest was a 38-yard reception that helped set up a field goal.
Linebacker Solomon Matautia came up with his second interception of the season and also equaled a career high with 11 tackles.
