Game Notes

The University of Hawai'i women's soccer team begins Big West Conference play with a pair of matches this week at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. The Rainbow Wahine host Cal State Fullerton on Thrusday, Oct. 2 at 7:00 pm. before taking on UC Riverside on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 5:00 p.m.

UH, which entered the NSCAA West Region poll at No. 9 this week, concluded a highly challenging non-conference schedule with a respectable 5-5 mark, including three wins in four matches during its most recent road trip.  The Rainbow Wahine have been absolutely lights out on offense, averaging 2.20 goals per match, which ranks first in the Big West amd 39th in the NCAA. Ten different players have found the back of the net for UH, led by sophomore Storm Kenui and freshman Sonest Furtado with four goals each.  
 
The Rainbow Wahine have also shored up their defense as of late. Hawai'i owns a 2.89 goals against average but surrendered just two combined goals—with one of those coming on a penalty kick—in its pair of wins versus Eastern Washington and host Montana at the Montana Invitational.  
 
This year mark's UH's third season in the Big West. The Rainbow Wahine exceeded expectations in each of their first two seasons. UH finished in a tie for sixth in their debut season in 2012 and after being picked last in the preseason poll. In 2013, UH was picked seventh and instead finished in a tie for fifth. UH was picked fifth in this year's preseason poll, with Cal Poly earning favorite status.
 
The top four teams in the regular-season standings will advance to the Big West Tournament to be held in San Luis Obispo, Cailf., on Nov. 6 and 9.
 
Game 11
Opponent: Cal St Fullerton  (2-7, 0-0 BWC)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 2
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Waipio Stadium (4,500)
Admission: Free
Television: OCSports. Scott Robbs (pxp), Jessica Domingo (analyst) and Leila Wai (analyst).
Live Stream: OCSports.tv
Live Stats: Click Here
eries History: Fullerton leads, 7-2
Promotions: Pepsi is the match sponsor and will award one-day passes to Wet 'N' Wild to the winner of the on-field promotion during halftime. Kids (eighth grade and under) can register at the sports marketing table next to the concessions stand to participate in the halftime contest. Also, t-shirts will be tossed into the crowd after every UH goal.
 
Game 12
Opponent: UC Riverside  (5-3-2, 0-0 BWC)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 5
Time:  5:00 p.m.
Location: Waipio Stadium (4,500)
Admission: Free
Television: None
Live Stream: None
Live Stats: Click Here
Series History: Cal Poly leads, 4-0
Promotions: Bank of Hawaii is the sponsor and will award great prizes throughout the match. Fans can register at the sports marketing table to participate in the halftime contest. Bank of Hawaii blankets will be tossed into the crowd after every UH goal.
 
Bow Bits: UH is 0-2 in Big West openers (both on the road) and 2-0 in Big West home openers...UH and Fullerton have played two overtime matches in Big West play with the Titans winning both...UH and UCR have split their two previous Big West meeting, including a 2-0 win by UH in its first-ever Big West home match in 2012...for the second straight year, the Rainbow Wahine are holding a better record on the road than at home...UH is 3-1 on the mainland and 2-4 at home thus far....with 22 goals in 10 matches, UH has already surpassed last year's total goal count (18 goals in 17 matches)…10 different players have found the back of the net for UH....on the flipside, UH has surrendered 29 goals, 10 more than they gave up all of last season…both Sonest Furtado and Storm Kenui have scored or assisted in each of the last four...only 11 other players have achieved a streak of at least that long, most recently by Tiana Fujimoto (5 matches) in 2012...Natasha Kai holds the record with a streak of nine matches... Furtado became just the third Rainbow Wahine freshman in the last 13 seasons to score multiple goals in a match when she netted two at Idaho State, joining Fujimoto (2011) and Kai (2002)…UH has been outscored 15-5 in the second half this season, including a combined 6-1 in its last two losses versus Washington State and at Idaho State....UH is 2-0 in overtime matches this year with wins versus Seattle (2-1) and at Weber State (4-3)…prior to this season, UH had won just once in its previous seven overtime matches.