Sept. 8, 2006

Box Score

Tucson, Ariz. - The Pacific women's soccer team remained unscored upon this season as the Tigers battled Hawai'i to a 0-0 tie on Friday, Sept. 8 in the opening game of the Wildcat Invitational for both teams.

Pacific moved to 4-0-1 on the season following the tie, while Hawai'i is now 3-1-1.

Still yet to be scored upon in 2006, the Tigers defense again held strong throughout 110 minutes of action as they held the Rainbow Wahines to just six shots in the contest. Posting her fifth clean sheet of the season, junior 'keeper Jaime Souza (Gig Harbor, Wash.) tallied three saves on the night to keep Hawai'i scoreless.

In addition to Souza, Pacific's defense was led by the stellar play of junior Christy Hickel (Danville, Calif.) who held down the Tigers' backline with her fellow defenders. Hickel made a number of key defensive stops for the Tigers' throughout the night while also pushing up the right side of the field in Pacific's attack.

Offensively, Pacific was led by freshman Alysse Valenzuela (Stockton, Calif.) and senior Kelsey Nagel (Lynnwood, Wash.) with three shots each. Senior Catherine Betts (Piedmont, Calif.) was the Tigers' top playmaker througout the game as she spurred on the attack throughout the entire 110 minutes.

Pacific's top scoring chance of the night came off of a corner early in the second half as junior Carla Vellutini's (Elk Grove, Calif.) initial shot caused Hawai'i's 'keeper to fall down resulting in an open net for the Tigers. As Vellutini collapsed on the rebound in the six yard box, the Tigers' attack was whistled dead due to an offsides call despite two Hawai'i defenders still playing the posts.

With the scoreless draw the Tigers' ran their unscored upon streak to five games, tying the program record for consecutive shutouts posted in 1999 when the Tigers won five straight games by shutout. With another top tier performance in goal Souza ran her consecutive scoreless minutes streak to 486:36 minutes. In addition, her five shutouts this season pushes her career total to 11 moving her into a tie with Yvette Valdez for third place on the Tigers' all-time list.

The Tigers return to the field on Sunday, Sept. 10 as Pacific battles Gonzaga at 11 a.m. in Tucson, Ariz.