It didn’t take Rachel Domingo long to notice the difference.

"There’s always a purpose to what we’re doing," said Domingo, a senior who has a year of eligibility left after this season. "We’re not just running around. Everything we do is for a reason and coach (Michele Nagamine) holds us accountable for our actions."

For the first time in 17 years, the Hawaii women’s soccer team will open the season with a new coach in charge.

Pinsoom Tenzing, who served as the program’s inaugural head coach when it achieved Division I status in 1994, retired last November after three regular-season Western Athletic Conference titles and one NCAA tournament appearance.

Not long after, Hawaii hired Nagamine, the former Kamehameha and Hawaii Pacific head coach, who will coach her first game on the UH sideline tonight against Pac-12 Conference member Washington State at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

With 11 newcomers among a roster of 29 players, Nagamine’s goal for the season opener is pretty simple.

"I want to see them play," she said. "I want us to dare to be fabulous.

"If we can leave Waipio (tonight) with the crowd saying, ‘Now this is why we’re going to come back,’ then I think our job has been done."

Tonight’s match against Washington State marks the debut of a host of newcomers, including Krystal Pascua, the reigning high school state player of the year out of ‘Iolani.

Pascua, along with many of the other local girls on the team, has played for Nagamine before.

"She was my club coach for Leahi and I’ve basically played for her my whole life," Pascua said. "It’s a different vibe, way more intense."

The players have had a little more than two weeks to prepare after the start of fall practice, and were doing two-a-days through Wednesday.

The Rainbow Wahine are coming off a 14-loss season, tied for the most in school history, and were picked to finish seventh among eight teams in the preseason WAC poll.

"Everyone is scared of the underdog and we’re definitely (that)," Domingo said. "We’re going out to prove people wrong and that’s what is motivating us right now."

The biggest key will be improving an offense that scored 17 goals in 20 games last season. Seven of those came from graduating seniors Mari Punzal and Chelsea Deptula.

Domingo knows it’ll be tough but is looking forward to the opportunity.

"I’m really excited because we have a lot of good underclassmen and a lot of good players that came from the mainland," she said. "I think our higher intensity … different set plays and combo pieces are all things people will notice as different about (this team)."