UH Women’s Soccer Open 2012 Season On The Road

UH Logo / UH SID photo.

By Rodney S. Yap

The University of Hawai’i women’s soccer team kicks off its 2012 campaign when it travels to Nevada for a pair of matches this weekend. The Rainbow Wahine will open up the season against former Western Athletic Conference rival Nevada on Friday, Aug. 17, before heading south to face UNLV on Sunday, Aug. 19.

This will mark the first time since the program’s inaugural season in 1994 that it opens the season on the road. In that first season, the Rainbow Wahine played a road-exclusive schedule.

Sophomore midfielder Krystal Pascua. UH photo.

Leading the team is head coach Michele Nagamine, who enters her second season at the helm. Last year Nagamine began the program’s rebuilding project with a 5-12-1 record, including a third-place finish in the WAC. After playing a brutal early-season schedule, UH picked it up in the second half of the season when it notched four of its five wins.

UH now looks to take the momentum of that strong finish into the 2012 campaign. A total of 17 letter winners and nine starters return from last year, including sophomore midfielder Krystal Pascua (4 goals, 1 assist) and senior goalkeeper Kanani Taaca (47 career starts). Meanwhile, nine freshman join the squad, with some vying for crucial roles on the team. Both of UH’s first two opponents are familiar foes, having faced Nevada in the opener, a team they have played on 14 other occasions. The Rainbow Wahine defeated Nevada, 5-0, in Honolulu last October. The Rainbow Wahine faced the Rebels in the UNLV Nike Invitational last September and dropped a 3-0 decision.

Following its road matches, UH will return to Honolulu to play six straight home matches, beginning with the ‘OHANA Hotels and Resorts No Ka Oi, Aug. 22, 24 and 26.

Match 1 Notes

Who: Hawai’i (0-0) at Nevada (0-0)

Date: Friday, Aug. 17

Time: 7 p.m. PT

Location: Mackay Stadium

Series History: UH leads, 8-6

About Nevada: The Wolf Pack enter its first season in the Mountain West Conference…Nevada finished with a 3-16 overall record in 2011 and took eight place in its final year in the Western Athletic Conference…this year’s team features 11 newcomers and seven returning starters…the team’s top two scorers in junior Kori Disarufino (3 goals) and sophomore Chrisalyn Fonte (2 goals) return.

Match 2 Notes

Who: Hawai’i (0-0) at. UNLV (0-0)

Date: Sunday, Aug. 19

Time: 6 p.m. PT

Location: Johann Memorial Field

Series History: Tied, 1-1

About UNLV: The Rebels return 15 letter winners and seven starters from last year’s 8-10-3 club…UNLV is under the direction of new head coach Michael Coll…two all-conference performers from a year ago return in senior midfielder Macy Jo Harrison and senior defender Caitlin Allen.. UNLV played Cal State Fullerton to a 1-1 tie in exhibition action  on Sunday…the Rebels open the regular-season at home on Friday vs. Northern Arizona, before hosting Hawai’i.