HONOLULU - The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine soccer team opens its 2009 campaign this week with the OHANA Hotels and Resorts No Ka 'Oi Tournament, on Aug. 21 and 23 at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

The Rainbow Wahine will host two matches against nationally ranked opponents in the tournament, facing No. 25 Brigham Young on Friday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m., and No. 2 Stanford on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 5 p.m.

Hawai'i returns five starters from the 2008 squad that took third in the Western Athletic Conference standings and finished 8-7-4, the seventh non-losing season for the program in the past eight years.

Heading the charge for the Rainbow Wahine will be three preseason all-WAC honorees, senior Ambree Ako and juniors Chelsea Deptula and Mari Punzal. Ako, the 2007 WAC Offensive Player of the Year, ranks in the top five in five categories in the UH career record book as one of the top scoring forwards in school history. Deptula, a 2007 all-WAC player, is expected to shore up the back line as UH's top defender, while Punzal, a 2008 all-WAC honoree, will be the Rainbow Wahine's primary player in the midfield.

UH also returns starters Kristyn Shapka and Brittani Lum, while key reserves Vanessa Bailey, Colleen Burns, Rachel Domingo and Kelsie Look will likely see more time while competing for starting jobs.

UH will have to rely on a freshman in the goal this season after the graduation of four-year starter Kori Lu. Kamehameha graduate Kanani Taaca redshirted the 2008 season, but came into the program after a great prep career in the islands, earning state tournament MVP honors twice. True freshman Kristina Ehrett also had a good prep resume, leading her team to a second place finish in the state of Wisconsin.

 

KFVE (Channel 5) will cover the Sunday match vs. Stanford live with John Fink (play-by-play) and Jessica Domingo (color commentary).

 

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