The UNLV men’s soccer team is enjoying rare success with a defense dominated by players from Hawaii.

The Rebels are coming off their first NCAA tournament berth in 26 years last season and currently have the third-longest winning streak in the nation after shutting out Gonzaga 1-0 on Sunday.

Since losing their first two games, the Rebels are 6-0 with a defense that has allowed three goals over the past five matches.

Three of the four starting defenders are from Hawaii, including seniors Aaron Goo (Saint Louis ’12) and Jason Khamvongsa (Kaiser ’12).

Khamvongsa is the reigning Western Athletic Conference men’s soccer defensive player of the week.

“Definitely cool,” the soft-spoken Khamvongsa said Tuesday. “I got texts from teammates saying congratulations. My parents saw it. It was cool.”

Khamvongsa has started 63 games in his career, with most coming alongside Goo, who also started games as a freshman.

The duo got some help last season from newcomer Shota Takada, who now starts alongside the other two.

All three played for the Honolulu Bulls club team and have proven to be a winning trio for the Rebels.

UNLV went 14-5-3 last season and defeated Bakersfield in the WAC championship game before losing to UC Irvine in the NCAA tournament.

The Rebels are already 6-2 this season, matching the entire win total during Khamvongsa’s and Goo’s freshman season.

UNLV won six and seven games in their first two seasons before making the big jump last year.

“Man, honestly it was really frustrating,” Goo said of his first season with the Rebels. “Me and (Khamvongsa) used to talk to each other and be like, ‘Man, what did we get ourselves into?’

“Over the years we’ve seen the change and I think it’s just the mentality this team has now where we’ve had some success finally and now we want to repeat that and we have the experience to know how to do that.”

Goo and Khamvongsa had offers to go to other schools, but the Rebels offered a full ride.

The investment put into the two from Hawaii is surely paying off now.

“I got a full ride from them and that kind of made me realize that I’m going to get to go to college,” said Goo, who was the ILH player of the year as a senior. “Going to a private school and having my mom pay my tuition at Saint Louis and everything was tough, so I wanted her to not pay for anything.”

UNLV opens conference play this week and will play five of its first seven league games at home before closing the regular season with three straight on the road.

Anything less than a return trip to the NCAA tournament would be unsatisfying for Khamvongsa.

“That’s the main goal,” he said.

Goo said he’s happy with the turnaround he’s been able to be a part of at UNLV but says it’s extra special to do it with a group of guys from back home.

“All of us came from the same club and Shota was just on a younger team than us, but we’re all from Hawaii and it’s great to see Hawaii guys doing good on the mainland,” Goo said. “There’s not a lot of competition (in men’s soccer) back home and so seeing us succeed at a Division I college level like this is pretty cool.”

UNLV has become a popular spot for some of Hawaii’s top talent in soccer.

The Rebels’ women’s soccer team also has three players from Hawaii in juniors Isabelle Delgado (Moanalua ‘13), Brittney Gideon (Mililani ‘13) and Lily Sender (St. Andrew’s Priory ‘13).

Around the Nation

FOOTBALL

» Isaako Savaiinaea, Punahou ’13: The UCLA linebacker made seven tackles in a 56-30 win over Arizona on Saturday. The Bruins jumped to No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25 poll.

» Kaimi Fairbairn, Punahou ’12: The UCLA kicker made all eight extra-point kicks and boomed all nine of his kickoffs for touchbacks against Arizona.

» Saneilia Fuimaono, Punahou ’10: The Arizona defensive lineman made three tackles with one for a loss against the Bruins.

» DeForest Buckner, Punahou ’12: The Oregon defensive lineman made six tackles in a 62-20 loss to Utah that caused the Ducks to fall out of the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2009.

» Manase Hungalu, Kealakehe ’13: The Oregon State linebacker assisted on two tackles and recovered a fumble in a 42-24 loss to Stanford on Friday.

» Tau Lotulelei, Maui ’12: The UNLV linebacker made a team-high seven tackles in an 80-8 win over Idaho State on Saturday.

» Peni Vea, Kealakehe ’11: The UNLV defensive back made five tackles and recovered a fumble against the Bengals.

» Josiah Situmeang, ‘Iolani ’13: The Washington (Mo.) junior made seven tackles with two for a loss and a pass breakup in a 41-13 win over Birmingham-Southern on Saturday.

» Quincy Marting, Punahou ’12: The Washington (Mo.) defensive back made six tackles and broke up three passes against Birmingham-Southern.

» Reece Foy, ‘Iolani ’13: The Amherst (Mass.) College sophomore quarterback finished 22-for-33 for 282 yards and a touchdown and added a 1-yard TD run in a 37-14 victory over Bates College on Saturday in the Purple and White’s season opener.

» Awa Poggi, Kailua ’11: The Dickinson State senior defensive back made six tackles in a 28-7 win over Valley City (N.D.) State on Saturday.

» Colby Lum, Mililani ’12: The Valley City (N.D.) State wide receiver scored on a 3-yard touchdown run and had two receptions for 38 yards against Dickinson State.

» Beau Winchester, Mililani ’13: The Valley City (N.D.) linebacker made five tackles and assisted on one for a loss against Dickinson State.

» Bobby Lum, Hawaii Prep ’14: The Southern Oregon running back scored on a 6-yard touchdown run for one of 12 TDs put up by the Wolves in an 82-9 victory over Montana State-Northern on Saturday.

WOMEN’S GOLF

» Marissa Chow, ‘Iolani ’12: The Pepperdine senior tied for low-round honors last Wednesday with a 5-under 67 to finish in a tie for fifth place at 3-over 219 in the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Wolcott, Colo.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

» Emily Tanaka, ‘Iolani ’14: The Pepperdine sophomore scored the equalizer, putting in a rebound in the second half for the Waves’ only goal of a 1-1 tie with Cal Poly on Sunday.

» Shaney Sakamoto, Kamehameha ’13: The Saint Louis junior midfielder assisted on a second-half goal in a 2-0 win over Murray State on Sunday.

» Lexi Felix, ‘Iolani ’12: The Redlands (Calif.) senior played the second half and overtime period in goal and made three saves in a 1-0 win over Whittier (Calif.) on Sunday.

» Kealakekua Makekau, Sacred Hearts ’13: The Western Oregon junior scored her first goal of the season in the 54th minute of a 2-2 tie with Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

» Taylor Higa, Mid-Pacific ’13: The Western Oregon junior assisted on Makekau’s goal.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

» Kalei Mau, Kaiser ’13: The Arizona outside hitter had a match-high 15 kills and seven digs to lead the Wildcats to a sweep of Oregon on Sunday in their Pac-12 home opener.

» Penina Snuka, Kahuku ’13: The UA setter dished out 36 assists and added six digs and an ace against the Ducks.

» Chelsey Keoho, Kamehameha ’12: The Oregon senior had three digs and an ace against the Wildcats.

» Adora Anae, Kahuku ’14: The Utah sophomore had a match-high 15 digs, 11 kills, three aces and a solo block in a four-set win over Colorado on Thursday in the Utes’ Pac-12 opener.

» Kat Brooks, Punahou ’12: The Texas senior combined for 10 digs, six assists and an ace in sweeps of TCU and West Virginia last week to open Big 12 play.

» Rachel Inouye, Punahou ’12: The UCLA senior combined for nine digs and two assists in sweeps over USC and California last week to open Pac-12 play.

» Brittney Markwith, Punahou ’13: The Portland middle blocker hit .684 with a match-high 14 kills in 19 swings with two block assists and two digs in a sweep of Saint Mary’s to open WCC play last Thursday.

» Trinity Alualu, Farrington ’13: The Tulsa junior finished with 10 digs and three aces in a five-set win over Houston on Sunday.

» Faith Ma’afala, Kamehameha ’14: The Southern Utah sophomore setter had a match-high 36 assists, six digs, five block assists and three kills in a sweep of Portland State on Saturday.

» Remo Gaogao, Punahou ’14: The Southern Utah sophomore had a team-high 15 digs and five kills against Portland State.

» Pati Anae, Kahuku ’13: The Portland State junior outside hitter totaled a match-high 16 kills, 11 digs, three assists and an ace against Southern Utah.

» Sarah Liva, Mililani ’14: The Portland State middle hit .444 with four kills and a block assist against the Thunderbirds.

» Jamie Hirai, Mid-Pacific ’14: The San Jose State sophomore had eight digs and an assist in a five-set win over Fresno State last Thursday in the Spartans’ MWC opener.

» Allie Yamashiro, Kamehameha ’13: The Manhattan College junior had 24 digs and three aces in a win against Niagara on Friday and 16 digs in a win against Canisius on Saturday.

» Marissa Behrens, Punahou ’14: The Manhattan College sophomore finished with five kills and six blocks against Niagara on Friday and seven kills and three blocks while hitting .545 for the match against Canisius on Saturday.

» Rachel Ringor, Roosevelt ’12: The Long Island Post senior had a match-high 21 digs and an ace in a five-set win over Stonehill College on Saturday.

» Analise Austin, Moanalua ’13: The Long Island Post junior finished with five digs, two assists, a kill and a block assist against Stonehill.

» Taryn Auyong, Kamehameha ’14: The Caldwell University sophomore combined for 26 kills and 13 digs in wins over Georgian Court and Queens College on Saturday.

Compiled by the Star-Advertiser’s Billy Hull. To submit an athlete for publication, email bhull@staradvertiser.com.