Hawaii women’s soccer draws to open 2021 season

Two overtime periods weren’t enough to get it done for the University of Hawaii women’s soccer team, as the Rainbow Wahine (0-0-1) kicked off the Outrigger Soccer Kickoff and the 2021 season with a 0-0 stalemate against North Texas (2-0-1) at Waipio Peninsula Stadium.

The 110-minute slugfest saw the Mean Green outshoot the Rainbow Wahine 12-3 (7-0 shots-on-goal advantage). Keeper Lauren Marquez stood stout in goal all day for the Wahine, recording seven saves in playing all four periods.

Hawaii will return to Waipio Peninsula Stadium to close out the Outrigger Soccer Kickoff at 5 p.m. Sunday against South Dakota State (3-0).

Sharks drop back-to-back sweeps

The Hawaii Pacific University women’s volleyball team was swept in back-to-back matches to open the 2021 season, first suffering a 25-21, 25-20, 25-11 defeat at the hands of Alaska Fairbanks, and later falling 25-21, 27-25, 26-24 to Alaska Anchorage.

The Sharks kept things competitive in the first two sets, but fell late in both. The Nanooks dominated the third set to seal the sweep.

Hawaii Pacific was led by outside hitter Emily Joseph’s seven kills, while Weber led UAF with 12 kills and two blocks.

All three sets were hard fought in the second match, with the Sharks holding set-point opportunities in the last two. HPU fell victim to late scoring runs by the Seawolves to end each set, as UAA ended the first set on a 7-2 run, the second on a 6-2 run, and the third on a 9-2 scoring run.

Demi Winters and Karina Gatewood led HPU with eight kills each, and Eve Stephens led Anchorage with 12 kills

Hawaii Pacific will return to The Shark Tank today to resume the Hawaii-Alaska Challenge, taking on Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks in another doubleheader. The first match against Alaska Anchorage is at noon, with the second against Alaska Fairbanks at 7 p.m.