SAN DIEGO - Michaela Maes' goal in the 74th minute broke a 1-1 tie and helped the Point Loma women's soccer team escape with a 2-1 victory over a tough Hawaii Pacific team on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
 
The victory allowed the Sea Lions (6-3-0, 3-1-0 PacWest) quickly bounce back after having their 15-match PacWest unbeaten snapped on Saturday. HPU falls under .500 this season (4-5-0) and to 1-3-0 in the PacWest.
 
Point Loma dominated the stat sheet, and thanks to a goal by Easton Kawawaki in fifth minute, controlled the first half of the match. But all of a sudden Sara Romo scored off a corner kick right after halftime in the 49th minute, and it was whole new ball game.
 
The Sea Lions seemed to be in a state of surprise after that goal and HPU seized some momentum. The shocked PLNU team continued to possess the ball the majority of the time but could never find a way to slip the ball past HPU's goal keeper Lauren Spencer, who made 12 saves in the match, many in spectacular fashion on quality looks by the Sea Lions.
 
"We were creating chances, and we are happy about those, but credit to their keeper," said Point Loma head coach Tim Hall. "But also credit to our girls for creating those chances."
 
It wouldn't be until Maes' goal in the 74th minute that Point Loma would truly take back control of the match. As the Sea Lions had all day they pushed the ball up their right side of the field and Keagan Bolibol was able to beat the defense before finding Maes open from eight yards out. Maes took the low pass and fired the ball into the top corner of the goal for the go-ahead score. This was her second game-winning goal of the season.
 
"She is earning playing time because she is really good when the ball finds her foot," said Hall about Maes. "She knows how to get around the ball at the right time. It was a great shot by her. I am so happy to get the productivity from the senior and she has earned big time playing time."
 
Point Loma outshot HPU 24-6 in the match, and 15-4 on shots on goal. Ariel Oriarte made three saves for the Sea Lions in the victory. This is the first win for PLNU this season that has not come via a shutout.
 
Despite earning the victory coach Hall was not too happy after the match.
 
"I don't think the women showed up mentally prepared today and I was disappointed in their performance," he said.  "Hawaii Pacific is a good team and if we don't play good soccer every team in this conference will turn it into a battle.
 
"Maybe we are tired after three games in six days but everyone else is playing this schedule and we have to show up and play" Hall added. "But in the end of the day we got the win. It wasn't pretty but we'll take it." "
 
Coach Hall was also very impressed by the work of Hawaii Pacific's Lauren Spencer in net.
 
"Their goalie, just like California Baptist's goalie, was unbelievable today," he said. "If that goalie doesn't have the game she did we win that game 5-1. She was incredible today.
 
"It is a bittersweet day," Hall concluded. "Sweet that we won, but there is a lot of stuff we are going to work on at practice tomorrow."
 
The Sea Lions' next contest will be Saturday, Oct. 10 at Fresno Pacific. The match will start at 5:00 p.m.