Wahine soccer team whitewashes Fresno State

The early-season struggles of the University of Hawaii women’s soccer team appear to be a distant memory.

Skye Shimabukuro, McKenzie McGoldrick and Crystal Fresquez scored goals as Hawaii beat Fresno State 3-0 in a Western Athletic Conference match Friday night at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

“The best feeling is they’ve been working so hard on finishing,” said Hawaii head coach Michele Nagamine. “We worked on this all week long, all season long.”

Hawaii (4-10, 3-1) started the season 1-8, but is now in sole possession of first place in the conference. Fresno State (8-4-3, 2-1) had its seven-match unbeaten streak snapped.

“I always believed in them,” Nagamine said. “I kept telling them don’t get down, don’t worry about the scores, everything is going to be worth it.”

Hawaii had Fresno State a player down in the first half, and the Rainbow Wahine soon went up 1-0.

Krystal Pascua controlled the ball about 25 yards out and dropped a pass to Shimabukuro, who cut with the ball to her right and fired a shot down the middle of the goal at 29:43.

“I was going to take a left-footed shot, but I didn’t have time, so I had to cut it back,” Shimabukuro said.

About 3 minutes before Shimabukuro’s goal, Fresno State’s Molly Nizzoli limped off the field with an injury. Bulldogs coach Brian Zwaschka decided not to substitute for her.

Zwaschka said he didn’t think Nizzoli’s injury was serious and she’d be right back in the game.

“Obviously, we paid the price because that’s when Hawaii capitalized on the numbers situation,” he said.

Zwaschka decided to put a player in immediately after Hawaii scored.

On McGoldrick’s goal, she ran on to a header from Pascua and chipped the ball over the Fresno State goalkeeper at 72:01.

“I wanted to go in as hard as I could,” McGoldrick said. “I saw the keeper come out too far, so I knew I could hit it back post.”

Hawaii made it 3-0 when Kaylee Kihara delivered a through ball to Fresquez, whose sliding shot got under the Fresno State goalkeeper at 84:38.

“I just saw an opening, yelled for the ball and flipped it to the corner,” Fresquez said.

It was the first career goals for McGoldrick and Fresquez.

“To have kids who don’t usually get to score goals score goals, I’m just thrilled for them,” Nagamine said.

Hawaii will play its final home match of the season Sunday against San Jose State. The Wahine complete their regular season with WAC matches at New Mexico State on Oct. 28 and Louisiana Tech on Oct. 30.