WAIPAHU, O'ahu – The Hawai'i women's soccer team opened Big West play with a big win over UC Davis, prevailing 2-1 behind Nalani Damacion's game-winner and some solid play defensively Thursday at Waipi'o Soccer Stadium.
 
Damacion scored her conference-leading fourth game-winning goal of the season on a 50th minute penalty kick and goalkeeper Kennedy Justin recorded seven saves. The Rainbow Wahine won their third straight Big West-opener under head coach Michele Nagamine and fourth in the last five seasons on the coach's birthday.
 
The Aggies (7-3, 0-1 Big West) got on the board first when Emma Vane found the back of the net in the 10th minute, but the 'Bows equalized less than a minute later.
 
Brynn Mitchell knocked one in off the right post following a cross from Alice Davidson that ricocheted off of Cate Sheahan to make it 1-1 at the 10:06 mark. The goal was Mitchell's team-leading fourth of the season while Sheahan picked up her second assist and Davidson earned her team-high third.
 
The two teams went into the half tied up at a goal apiece, but that changed quickly after halftime. After a replay review resulted in a yellow card on the Aggies and penalty kick opportunity for the 'Bows, Damacion stepped up and buried the attempt to put Hawai'i ahead in the 51^st minute.
 
From there, the Rainbow Wahine (4-6, 1-0 Big West) defense and Justin stood tall in the net as the freshman keeper recorded six of her seven saves in the second half to hold onto the lead.
 
The Rainbow Wahine continue the homestand with a regular season, nonconference match against Hawai'i Pacific, Sunday at 4 p.m. at Waipi'o.