Hawaii’s youth movement carried the Rainbow Wahine to their first season-opening win in a decade.
Newcomers assisted on both UH goals in a 2-1 overtime victory over Utah Valley on Friday night at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. The deciding score came from Sarah Lau, who redirected a pass from Kiri Dale in the box in the 99th minute.
“I was like, one last 5-yard sprint and this could all be over,” Lau said. “I literally just saw the ball, I waited for it, was patient … and ran through it.”
The Rainbow Wahine last won a season opener in 2007 against No. 26 Kansas. They were 0-7-2 since.
Six freshmen saw action for seventh-year coach Michele Nagamine, to go with a new starting goalkeeper in junior Alexis Mata and a new utility player in Dale, a sophomore transfer from Iona.
Dale moved into the front third in overtime after subbing in on defense in the first half.
“Kiri has given us good balls from distance. It kind of gives us another dimension to our game,” Nagamine said. “Usually we like everything on the ground, and these little combinations. To end on a goal like that, oh my God. I could feel the momentum and I could tell we were just knocking on the door. We worked on that all summer.”
UH faces Fairfield (1-0) at 5 p.m. Sunday for the Ohana Outrigger Resorts Shootout title. Fairfield beat Houston Baptist 2-1 in double overtime preceding UH’s game Friday.
UH regained its composure after allowing an early score and tied it up by halftime on a 35th-minute diving header by Raisa Strom-Okimoto on a perfect cross from freshman Izzy Deutsch.
UVU of the WAC, 10-8-2 last year, struck in the 21st minute when it created chaos in the UH penalty box, leading to a a hand ball. Breanna DeWaal lined up for the penalty kick and went left post to slot it past Mata.
Deutsch and Leialoha Medeiros received ample time off the bench, while frosh defenders Cristina Drossos and Taylor Mason went the distance.
“I have a thing: If you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” Nagamine said. “At one point, we had six freshmen on the field. I think the good thing about them is they’re humble. They just want to help. Sometimes when kids get what they want early in their careers, they peter out. But this group is hungry.”
