The University of Hawai'i women's soccer team captured at least a share of the Western Athletic Conference title for the second time in program history last night.

Senior forward Natasha Kai scored her first hat trick of the season as Hawai'i defeated Nevada, 3-0, in a WAC game at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium before 2,010 fans.

Hawai'i (9-7-2, 5-1 WAC) concludes the regular season against Fresno State tomorrow at 5 p.m. It will also be "Senior Night" for Kai, Natalie Groenewoud, Mahie Atay, Ashley Chaffin and Emily Rose.

"I'm happy," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said of last night's win. "We played maybe not pretty, but we did what we wanted to do; one-on-ones and going over the top to (Kai)."

With last night's win, and one game remaining, Hawai'i has at least a share of the WAC title and locked up the top seed in next week's WAC Tournament in Boise, Idaho. In 2003, Hawai'i claimed a share of the WAC title.

"Today was really important, because we were tied for first with (Nevada)," Kai said. "We knew we had to come out strong."

The Rainbow Wahine received some help from San Jose State, which defeated Fresno State, 1-0, last night in Fresno, Calif., to hand the Bulldogs their second WAC loss (to go with one tie) and put them out of contention for the title.

Kai scored her first goal in the 29th minute off an assist from junior midfielder Adria Campbell, who tied the UH single-season record for assists with nine (with Erin Quattromani, 2002).

The play was started when junior defender Krisha Kai sent a cross from the right side, which Natasha Kai deflected to junior midfielder Kelly McCloskey, who was on the left side.

McCloskey kept the play alive on a tackle, and the ball trickled to Campbell who was in the middle of the penalty box, and she touched the ball to Natasha Kai, who blasted the ball into the left netting from the right side.

"I was getting kind of frustrated on whether we were going to score or not," Natasha Kai said.

Six minutes later, Kai scored her second on an assist from sophomore defender Lehua Wood. Wood cleared a long ball, which Kai chased down and headed out of the range of Nevada goalkeeper Megan Tarpenning, and shot a ball that a Nevada defender could not get her foot on.

"She's an incredible striker, dealing with balls behind the defense," Tenzing said of Kai.

Kai's third goal was in the 76th minute, when freshman forward Taryn Fukuroku slotted a ball and Kai ran behind the Nevada defense and fired a left-footed shot from the left into the right side of the goal.

"Two goals is the most dangerous, and we tend to ease up in the second half," said Kai, who said at halftime Tenzing reminded them that they were up 2-0 against Nevada last year but had to go into overtime for the win.

"We needed to finish them off early, and we did," he said.

Hawai'i outshot Nevada 21-4, with an 8-1 shots-on-goal advantage.

Tenzing said Hawai'i's defense was "superb" in winning air balls and recovering for each other. Hawai'i goalkeepers Kori Lu and Atay combined for the shutout.

"Our players didn't play to their potential, but all credit to Hawai'i," Nevada (10-6-1, 4-2) assistant coach Graeme Abel said. "They took advantage and put the ball into the back of the net."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.