Box Score
Post Game Notes
Post Game Quotes

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai`i Warrior football team opened Western Athletic Conference play with a resounding 41-21 win over Louisiana Tech Saturday night at Aloha Stadium. The Warriors improved to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the WAC with their second straight home win.

 

UH scored the first 24 points of the game and never looked back. The Warriors racked up 647 yards of offense, a season high and the seventh-highest total in school history. With the win, UH maintained a spotless record against the Bulldogs in Honolulu (5-0).

 

Trigger man Bryant Moniz finished with a career high 532 yards, the sixth highest total in school history and the most since Colt Brennans's 545 yards at San Jose State in 2007. The junior connected on 42-of-58 passes and tossed four touchdowns.

 

Meanwhile senior Kealoha Pilares enjoyed a record-breaking evening, setting a new school record with 18 catches, surpassing the previous mark of 16 set by Greg Salas last year vs. New Mexico State. Pilares also finished with a career-high 217 receiving yards, the seventh best performance in school history.

 

The senior continued his scoring spree with a pair of touchdowns, including an electrifying 66 yarder in the second quarter that put UH up, 24-0. Pilares has scored in every single game this season and has a team-leading nine touchdowns on the season. Meanwhile, fellow wide receiver Salas bolstered the Warrior attack with 10 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns.

 

The UH defense also came up big with three interceptions. Mana Silva recorded two of those in the first half, including one that set up UH's second touchdown of the night. La Tech wouldn't get on the board until late in the first half and UH took a 24-7 lead into the locker room.

 

The Bulldogs took their opening drive in the second half for a touchdown to cut the Hawai`i lead to 24-14. But that would be as close as it would get as UH responded with scoring drives on their next two possessions, including a 19-yard touchdown reception by Salas to push the UH lead to 20 points.

 

The Warriors now head to the road to face rival Fresno State next Saturday, Oct. 9. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. PT (4:00 HT) at Bulldog Stadium.