The Utah State women's soccer team will leave Hawai'i the same way it came — in first place and undefeated in the Western Athletic Conference.

Utah State beat Hawai'i, 2-1, on a late goal last night at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in front of 746 fans.

The Aggies are in first place in the WAC at 5-0-0 (10-7-1 overall). Hawai'i dropped to 5-6-4 (1-2-1 WAC).

"I know we're out of running for the WAC regular season, but we can't give up hope now," said senior forward Taryn Fukuroku, who scored for Hawai'i. "We can still win the WAC Tournament and go the NCAAs."

Utah State improved 4-1-0 against Hawai'i. The only time the Rainbow Wahine defeated Utah State was last year in the WAC Tournament, a 1-0 double overtime victory in the semifinal round. Hawai'i went on to win the tournament for the first time, earning an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

"(Utah State) deserved to win," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said. "I don't generally say that. But they played harder and they exposed our weakness: inattention of our defenders. The defenders are just not concentrating. We just gave away two goals."

Only one other WAC school, Fresno State, holds a winning series record (7-6-2) against Hawai'i.

Utah State forward Candice Clark scored in the fifth minute after a Hawai'i defender tried to clear the ball but instead it went to a Summer Tillotson, who played it long to Clark. Clark put it into the right side of the goal from near the top of the 18-yard box.

It appeared Hawai'i tied the game on a Fukuroku goal in the 36th minute.

Freshman defender Colleen Burns sent a long ball to Fukuroku, who chased it down inside the 18-yard box.

Fukuroku and defender Alyssa Lowry, along with goalkeeper Ali Griffin, battled for the ball and Fukuroku pulled it away and shot into the open goal. It was ruled a goal initially, then called back as a foul on Fukuroku.

"He told me I pushed the defender into the goalie," Fukuroku said. "It hurt us; i t would have brought momentum into the second half and maybe we could have pulled out a win."

Fukuroku did tie it up in the second half on an assist from junior forward Ambree Ako in the 55th minute. Ako raced down the right side to the endline, beating several defenders along the way before slotting a diagonal pass back to the top of the 6-yard box for Fukuroku, who finished the play with a shot into the goal.

"Ambree did all the work," Fukuroku said. "She burned that defender. I was just in the right place."

Utah State took the lead on another goal by Clark in the 84th minute after Shantel Flanary crossed the ball from the right side and it was sent back across the face of the goal to Clark who put it away.

"The breakdown came long before the goal," Tenzing said. "There was no pressure on the ball."

The Rainbow Wahine honor their six seniors in their home finale Sunday night against Louisiana Tech at 5 p.m. at the WPSS.