Matsuzawa's game-winning field goal helps Hawaii boot Stanford


Kansei Matsuzawa kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to help Hawaii pull out a 23-20 win over Stanford to open the season Saturday. 

A sellout crowd at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex said the Rainbow Warriors (1-0) pick up their first win over an opponent from a power conference in the Timmy Chang era. 

Matsuzawa converted all three of his field goal attempts to give Hawaii its first win over the Cardinal (0-1) in five tries. 

Micah Alejado threw for 210 yards on 27-of-39 passing without an interception. He connected with Pofele Ashlock on a 3-yard TD pass late in the first quarter and found Jackson Harris for a 19-yard scoring strike just before halftime. 

Stanford took an early 10-0 lead in a six-second span during the first quarter. After Emmet Kenney's 23-yard field goal to open the scoring, Alejado was sacked in his own end zone on Hawaii's first play from scrimmage. Wilfredo Aybar fell on the loose football for a Stanford touchdown. 

Hawaii held a 14-13 lead at halftime and stretched it to 17-13 on a 40-yard field goal by Matsuzawa midway through the third quarter. 

Micah Ford put the Cardinal back ahead with his 2-yard TD plunge with 9:41 to play. However, the Rainbow Warriors were able to recylce a Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen interception into a 37-yard Matsuzawa field goal that tied the score at 20 with 2:01 remaining. 

Hawaii drove 52 yards in nine plays on its final possession, capped by Matsuzawa's game-winning field goal on the game's final play. 

The Rainbow Warriors travel to Arizona next week.