UH’s Kenui caps win against Sacramento State in double overtime

After nearly the maximum allotted time for a college soccer game, Storm Kenui put in the golden goal to give Hawaii a 2-1 victory over Sacramento State on Thursday night at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

Kenui, who was moved up to the midfield from center back midway through the game, flicked a shot up and over the Hornets’ goalkeeper from just outside the box in the 106th minute. There were four minutes left in double overtime before it would’ve been called a draw.

Rainbow Wahine players dogpiled on Kenui to cap off the physical, grueling battle.

UH (2-0-1) remained unbeaten heading into Saturday’s 7 p.m. game against Idaho State (2-2) to conclude the season’s second Outrigger Soccer Classic. Sacramento State of the Big Sky Conference fell to 1-2.

The Rainbow Wahine maintained their best start to a season since 2007.

For the senior captain Kenui, it was her seventh career goal and first since her sophomore year.

Sarah Lau got UH on the board in the 50th minute when she headed in a pass from Addie Steiner at close range. It was the sophomore’s first goal of the season and third career.

Sacramento State responded in the 58th when Andrea Boehm fired a low shot to the far post from about 20 yards past a diving Monk Berger.

A number of opportunities, including an early missed penalty kick, nearly proved costly for UH. Both teams actually had plenty of chances; the final shot count was 24-20 in favor of UH. Hornets goalkeeper Destiny Butcher finished with a whopping 14 saves.

The foul count at one point late in the second half was 16 against UH to three against Sac State. It finished 19-9 against UH.

UH had a last-second second-half corner kick by Raisa Strom-Okimoto yield a couple of point-blank chances at the goal line, but the Hornets batted them away.

T.J. Reyno came from behind to make an outstanding block on a Hornets breakaway shot with a minute left in the first OT.

Junior Madison Reed was added to the starting lineup at holding midfielder, advancing Strom-Okimoto and Steiner up to attacking mid and forward, respectively.

Strom-Okimoto had a clean look right off the bat after some effective team ball movement off the opening tap, but Butcher made a diving save.

Sonest Furtado earned a penalty kick in the 10th minute when she was fouled in the box, but Furtado’s low shot caromed off the left post.

Steiner had a good look just before halftime, saved again by Butcher, and the teams went in the break scoreless.

The start of the game was delayed about 40 minutes because BYUH player Hannah Faber went down for an extended period in the opener and was taken off the field via ambulance.