Bertani’s First Career Goal Sparks Hawai‘i to 3-0 Shutout of Nevada

Junior defender Piper Bertani scored her first collegiate goal, sparking the University of Hawai‘i women’s soccer team to a 3-0 shutout victory over Nevada on Wednesday afternoon at the UH Lower Campus Field.

The Rainbow Wahine (5-4-1, 2-1 Mountain West) dominated possession and offensive opportunities, outshooting the Wolf Pack (3-9-1, 0-3-1 MW) 23-4 while earning 16 corner kicks to Nevada’s one.

Despite controlling much of the opening half, Hawai‘i struggled to break through until Bertani delivered in the final minute before halftime.

Off a corner kick from Tatum Porter, Bertani’s header found the back of the net in the 45th minute (44:22), giving the Rainbow Wahine a 1-0 advantage heading into the break. The goal was not only the first of her collegiate career but also proved to be the game-winner.

Hawaii defender Piper Bertani celebrates with head coach Michele Nagamine after scoring her first goal in her collegiate career against Nevada on Oct 7, 2026. | Photo Credit: Stacy Sur, Special to HSRN

“It was super exciting. I’ve been waiting for three years to score, so it was a good feeling, especially when we needed that goal,” Bertani said.

Hawai‘i head coach Michele Nagamine credited the team’s preparation on set pieces and Bertani’s consistent presence in the air.

“Piper has been an aerial presence for us all season long, and Coach Daniel Saucedo has worked just tirelessly to really kind of fine-tune our set pieces,” Nagamine said. “Everything came together at the right time.”

The late first-half breakthrough gave Hawai‘i momentum heading into the second half, where the Rainbow Wahine continued to apply pressure.

Freshman Olivia Dianda doubled the lead in the 67th minute (66:15), scoring her third goal of the season off an assist from Rori Gartner.

Nagamine praised Dianda’s ability to create scoring opportunities with her footwork and change of pace.

“She has this uncanny ability to just go at people. She gets the defender unbalanced, and then she’s off in the other direction, and that left foot is wicked,” Nagamine said.

Defender Laule‘a Ah Mook Sang added the finishing touch in the 84th minute (83:34), finding the back of the net off a corner kick delivered by Gartner. It marked Ah Mook Sang’s first goal of the season and Gartner’s second assist of the afternoon.

The defensive unit also delivered another strong performance, limiting Nevada to just four shots as goalkeeper Kennedy Justin made two saves to secure Hawai‘i’s sixth shutout of the season and second consecutive clean sheet in conference play.

Nagamine praised what she calls the “no goal patrol,” noting that the defense contributed on both ends of the field.

“I was just really happy that our defense that has been so strong for us all year long actually contributed on the other side of the ball as well today,” Nagamine said. “Another shout-out for Kennedy and her crew. The no goal patrol is rolling strong, and they helped us get on the board too.”

Bertani credited the team’s chemistry and defensive preparation for the result.

“What we worked on this whole week off, all we did was one-V-one defending and working together as a unit, so I think it showed today, getting another shutout,” Bertani said. “We just have a great connection between each other.”

The victory marked Hawai‘i’s second straight Mountain West win following its 2-0 road victory over Air Force. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 2-1 in conference play, with both wins coming by shutout.

“I feel like our conference standings are all over the place right now, so the three points is huge for us,” Bertani said.

Up Next: Hawai‘i returns to the UH Lower Campus Field on Sunday to host UTEP at 3 p.m., looking to build on its momentum and extend its winning streak to three matches.