SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – For the first time ever, the Hawai'i women's soccer team can call themselves Big West regular season champs. Behind yet another come from behind effort, the Rainbow Wahine secured the conference regular season title and No. 1 seed in the Big West Championship with a 2-1 win at UC Santa Barbara Sunday.
UH also clinched a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the Big West postseason, and will host both semifinals and the championship match on Nov. 7 and 10 at Waipi'o Soccer Stadium.
"It's been such a long road, with so much adversity to deal with this year," said head coach
Michele Nagamine. "I think our women have been so incredible in so many different ways. I'm just extremely proud of the team and absolutely tickled for them that they are the regular season champions."
Fabiola Zamora and
Nalani Damacion delivered second-half goals to propel the Rainbow Wahine to the fourth regular season conference title in program history and first since 2007. The seven wins in conference play are also tied for the most in school history (2003) and UH's 22 points are the most by a Big West team since 2021.
For the third straight match, the Rainbow Wahine faced an early deficit as the Gauchos struck first with a goal in the 20th minute. UCSB's Olivia Howard found the back of the net on a one-timer from the top of the box off a pass from Devin Greer.
But just like they've done three times before this season, the 'Bows came roaring back in the second half. Zamora provided the equalizer in the 68
th minute when she cleaned up a loose ball in front of the net following a
Brynn Mitchell shot attempt to make it 1-1.
Damacion then delivered her school-record tying seventh game-winning goal of the season when she headed in a beautiful free kick serve from Zamora, putting Hawai'i ahead 2-1 in the 83rd minute. The freshman matched Natasha Kai (2003, 2004) and Tiana Fujimoto (2013) for the most game-winners in a single season in program history and came into the week one behind the national leader in game-winning goals.
The 'Bows had to hang on down the stretch, fending off one last Gaucho attack in the final minute. Zamora saved a shot attempt at UH's goal line off a corner kick before
Kennedy Justin secured the win with her fifth save of the match at the buzzer to set off a Rainbow Wahine celebration.
The 'Bows return home to host Long Beach State for Senior Night on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Waipi'o Soccer Stadium. Four seniors,
Nicole Ando,
Amber Gilbert,
Jacey Jicha and
Carley Park will be honored following the match.
