Miyake lifts UH in 2 OTs

Chelsea Miyake did it for her fallen comrades.

The Hawaii junior defender booted the game-winning penalty kick past Utah Valley goalkeeper Jessica Duffin in the second overtime to give the Rainbow Wahine a sudden-death 2-1 win Sunday night at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium for the OHANA Hotels and Resorts No Ka Oi tournament title.

When the Wolverines were called for a hand ball during a scrum in the box in the 103rd minute, coach Michele Nagamine knew who to call up to the 12-yard marker. Miyake hesitated slightly, then booted it to the right post around the diving keeper, touching off a raucous celebration on the Wahine sideline.

“I think adrenaline kicked in right about then,” Miyake said of the kick. “I’ve been doing it kind of the same way my whole life. I use the same technique. I like to keep everything simple.”

UH was operating in the extra periods without midfielders Rachel Domingo and Krystal Pascua, two of the team’s top playmakers who both went down with injuries in the second half of an extremely physical game.

UH freshman midfielder Alex Gerrain was also wheeled off the field on a stretcher after the game with an apparent concussion.

“We said, ‘We’re going to do it for them,’ ” Miyake said. “They fought hard to get us here. … We were going to finish it off for them.”

UH (3-1) is off to its best start since the 2007 season after taking the tourney title. Hawaii sophomore forward Tiana Fujimoto, who scored in the fifth minute for her fourth goal in four games, was named the tourney MVP.

That goal evened the game at 1-1 after UVU (1-2) struck in the fourth minute.

Unfortunately for UH, Domingo’s injury could be serious.

“We don’t really know,” Nagamine said. “Krystal’s pretty tender … her (kidney) and her ribs. She got sandwiched (between players). This was a pretty physical game. And it’s Rachel Domingo’s knee. So we’re going to have to see what happens.”