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SAN FRANCISCO - The USF women's soccer team picked up its fourth shutout of the year as the Dons (4-1-1) got goals from Tiara Webb and Alex Alugas en route to a 2-0 victory over Hawai'i on Sunday afternoon at Negoesco Stadium.
"Hawai'i is a good team," commented fourth-year head coach Jim Millinder. "They came out and pressed us. They had some pretty decent looks in the first 15 minutes, and I think we found our rhythm. It's hard for anybody in Division I soccer to come out and play on a Friday and Sunday; it was hot out here today; we found our rhythm, we settled the game down a little bit and I thought the final 25 minutes of the first half we were pretty good and created a lot of chances."
USF put the pressure on from the opening kick and never let up as they held a commanding 22-10 advantage in shots overall on the day, a season high for the Dons.
The Dons got on the board in the 34th minute of action when Samantha Jehnings made a long run up the left side, looking like she was going to try to take it all the way herself; but near the endline Jehnings dished it inside to Tiara Webb who fought off a pair of Hawai'i defenders in front of the goal and muscled a shot into the corner of the net to put USF up 1-0 and record her first-career goal.
Alugas followed that up in the 51st minute when she took a pass right in front of the six-yard box from Amanda Whittle, who had dribbled down the left wing along the endline. Alugas was able to punch her first goal of the season into the far corner past Hawai'i keeper Monk Berger to give the Dons the 2-0 lead.
USF had numerous other chances that could have blown the contest wide open. The Dons were unable to take advantage of a penalty kick opportunity early in the first half when Rochelle Weerackoon was upended just inside the penalty area. Sonja Giraud's low rolling penalty kick attempt was swatted away by Berger as she dove to her right to deflect the shot away.
Later in the first half, Jehnings just missed out on notching her first goal of the season when she took a pass from Weerackoon out on the right wing that Jehnings headed right in front of the goal from about eight yards out, but her attempt was barely saved as Berger dove to knock it away.
The Rainbow Wahine (1-4-1) had a handful of chances of their own as they nearly nearly took a lead in the 29th minute when Kama Pascua fired off an open look from the left wing that forced Madalyn Schiffel to make a full-extension diving save to deflect the chance away.
In addition to their edge in shots, the Dons had a 10-0 advantage in corner kick opportunities in the match.
Schiffel (4-1-1) tallied five saves on the day while picking up the win in goal for the Dons. Berger (1-4-1) took the loss, but had four saves of her own.
The Dons hit the road this coming weekend when they travel to face Michigan State on Friday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. and Oakland on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m. Pacific time.
