Honolulu—The University of Hawai'i soccer team will conclude it's regular season this week with its final two matches on Thursday with UC Riverside at 7 p.m. HT and Sunday with Cal State Fullerton at 2 p.m. HT inside the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
 
The Rainbow Wahine (8-5-1, 3-3 BWC) went 1-1 against conference opponents this past weekend for the third time this season and now sit at No. 5 in the Big West standings. UH is still in a position where it can make the playoffs, but will require some help in every possible scenario.
 
UH remains in the top three of every significant offensive category within the conference, including total goals, goals per game, assists, and assists per game. Senior midfielder and the reigning conference offensive player of the week, Raisa Strom-Okimoto is the primary reason for the offensive surge as she has maintained her ability to be the top scoring threat all season. She is the conference leader in total goals with 11 and goals per match at 0.73.
 
Remarkably, Strom-Okimoto has been very conservative this season in her goals scored and shots ratio compared to the other elite scorer in the conference, Shaelan Murison of UC Santa Barbara. Strom-Okimoto has netted her 11 goals on 47 shots in 15 matches, Murison has played two more matches, accumulating 78 shots with 10 goals. Against conference foes, Strom-Okimoto has twice as many goals as Murison, while taking just 18 shots to Murison's 38.
 
Entering Thursday's match UCR is in a very similar situation to UH, as they fight to maintain their hope for a playoff bid. The Highlanders (11-2-3, 2-2-2 BWC), rolled through their non-conference schedule with a 9-0-1 record, but have stalled against conference opponents. Recently, UCR knocked off Long Beach State, but lost to CSUN 1-0 and tied with Cal Poly at 0-0. The outlying problem has been their inability to score, except for CSF in the first conference match of the season, UCR has not scored more than one goal in any match while being shut out in three matches.
 
The Titans (3-12-2, 0-5-1 BWC) have yet to win a Big West match this season and have dropped five in a row, with the last four ending with the same score of 2-1. The lone exception this season came back on Sept. 27 when the Titans and LBSU played to a 1-1 tie in their first conference match of the year.
 
Following Sunday afternoon's action head coach Michele Nagamine and the entire Rainbow Wahine program will honor Strom-Okimoto, senior midfielder Sarah Lau, and the seniors from CSF as a part of senior day. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Spectrum Sports following the match.
 
Match #16 Information:
TEAMS: Hawai'i (8-6-1), UC Riverside (11-2-3, 2-2-2)
WHEN:  Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018
WHERE:  Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium
TELEVISION: Spectrum Sports (Scott Robbs and Jessica Domingo)
PROMOTIONS:  Admission is FREE. The University of Hawai'i Federal Credit Union is the sponsor of Sunday's "Senior Day" match and will honor the departing seniors with commemorative paddles during the "Senior Day Ceremony" following the match. Roster sheets and team posters will be available at the sports marketing table located near the concession stand. Keiki (ages 18 and under) can register to participate in the "Soccer Shootout" promotional contest at halftime for the chance to win great prizes! Fans of all ages can enter the drawing-contest for the chance to win a UH-branded polo shirt and four (4) free tickets to an upcoming UH sporting event of your choice. A free pair of "rubbah slippahs" will be distributed to fans while supplies last, courtesy of the UH Soccer team. UH branded t-shirts and soccer stress balls will be tossed into the crowd every time UH scores a goal.
LIVE STATS: www. hawaiiathletics.com
TICKETS: Free
 
Match #17 Information:
TEAMS: Hawai'i (8-6-1, 3-3-0), Cal State Fullerton (3-12-2, 0-5-1)
WHEN:  Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018
WHERE:  Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium
TELEVISION: Spectrum Sports (Scott Robbs and Jessica Domingo)
PROMOTIONS:  Admission is FREE. The University of Hawai'i Federal Credit Union is the sponsor of Sunday's "Senior Day" match and will honor the departing seniors with commemorative paddles during the "Senior Day Ceremony" following the match. Roster sheets and team posters will be available at the sports marketing table located near the concession stand. Keiki (ages 18 and under) can register to participate in the "Soccer Shootout" promotional contest at halftime for the chance to win great prizes! Fans of all ages can enter the drawing-contest for the chance to win a UH-branded polo shirt and four (4) free tickets to an upcoming UH sporting event of your choice. A free pair of "rubbah slippahs" will be distributed to fans while supplies last, courtesy of the UH Soccer team. UH branded t-shirts and soccer stress balls will be tossed into the crowd every time UH scores a goal.
LIVE STATS: www.hawaiiathletics.com
TICKETS: Free