The Hawaii soccer team is going all in.

Third-year UH coach Michele Nagamine is betting an aggressive strategy will pay dividends for the Rainbow Wahine.

Nagamine said her team will run a 4-3-3, an offensive posture featuring junior captain Krystal Pascua up top. In her first two seasons, the 5-foot-8 Pascua — an All-Big West Conference second-team selection in 2012 — played midfield while the team operated primarily a 4-5-1 (a defensive stance with a lone forward).

“That’s a true testimony to the depth we … as a coaching staff feel we have this year,” Nagamine said. “You bring in players who are more soccer-savvy and who have a good tactical understanding of the game, there are so many more scenarios you can put your team in. We can take a little bit more risk this year than we could in years past.”

UH is coming off an 8-9-3 season, and a 3-5-1 mark (tied for sixth) in its first run through the Big West, a much stronger soccer conference than the WAC. The Wahine were picked seventh this season, but they’re shooting for a top-four finish to qualify for the BWC tournament.

“We’re not going to make any excuses. We’re going to be a good team, so let’s just do this,” Nagamine said. “We were the team that always plays hard and never gives up. But now we’re going to play. And we’re going to be entertaining.”

UH has 11 newcomers and returns key players at each position except midfield, if indeed Pascua stays up top. She could be flanked there by her little sister, Kama, and last season’s top scorer Tiana Fujimoto.

Nagamine said she plans to play an average of 18 players in a given game, up from about 15 last year. Mililani High graduate T.J. Reyno could be an impact player at midfield; she was ranked No. 81 on ESPN’s Top 150 recruiting list.

“We just want to contribute to the team the best way that we can to help UH make it into the Big West tournament,” ‘Iolani product Kama Pascua said of the team’s nine freshmen.

After a close three-way preseason battle, redshirt freshman Erica Young will get the first crack at replacing four-year starter Kanani Taaca in goal, Nagamine said. Young holds a narrow edge over another redshirt frosh, Georgia Barnes, and touted freshman Monk Berger.

Young will have an experienced backfield to rely upon. All four defensive starters return, senior captains Karli Look and Malé Fresquez among them.

“I think we’re very comfortable with each other,” said Fresquez, who went by her given name, Crystal, in previous seasons. “We know who does what well.”

Friday’s season opener against UNC-Greensboro in the Ohana Hotels and Resorts No Ka Oi tournament will be a stern first test for the Wahine. The Spartans were picked to finish third in the Southern Conference and defeated North Carolina State 3-2 in a preseason game last week.

FORWARDS

Returnees: Krystal Pascua, 5-8 Jr.; Tiana Fujimoto, 5-0 Jr.; Skye Shimabukuro, 5-5 Sr.; McKenzie McGoldrick, 5-5 Sr.; Amanda Bates, 5-3 Rfr.

Additions: Kama Pascua, 5-5 Fr.; Justine Olotoa, 5-4 Fr.

Losses: None.

Summary: Nagamine is betting that the shift to the 4-3-3 from the 4-5-1 will up the team’s scoring; UH was tied for last in goals in Big West play last season with nine. The Pascua sisters will get a chance to play together right away, with Krystal, the tallest player on the team, striking from the middle and the lithe Kama and Fujimoto (team-high eight goals in 2012) on the wings. Shimabukuro is coming off a season lost to an ACL tear and McGoldrick (three goals) is working her way back from an offseason knee injury.

MIDFIELDERS

Returnees: Ashley Haruki, 5-1 Jr.; Alexis Colacchio, 5-3 Jr.; Bree Locquiao, 5-2 Sr.; Addison Carroll, 5-3 So.;  Olivia Stanford, 5-6 So.

Additions: Storm Kenui, 5-5 Fr.; T.J. Reyno, 5-2 Fr.; Hayden Gibson, 5-5 Jr.; Hallie Hernandez, 5-4 Fr.; Lauren Takai, 5-4 Fr.

Losses: Rachel Domingo (5 years), Christy Watanabe (4 years), Michelle Nakasone, (4 years) Amber Fuller (2 years); Alex Gerrain (1 year)

Summary: The leadership of departed captains Domingo and Watanabe will be missed as part of an overhauled midfield. Freshmen Kenui and Reyno, of Moanalua and Mililani High Schools, get a chance to make an immediate impact, as does Louisiana-Lafayette transfer Gibson, a late pickup who started 40 straight matches for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Hawaii Baptist Academy product Haruki, the speedy Colacchio, and sturdy Carroll will be in the mix for playing time.

DEFENDERS

Returnees: Chelsea Miyake, 5-7 Sr.; Malé Fresquez, 5-3 Sr.; Karli Look, 5-2 Sr.; Lidia Battaglia, 5-6 So.

Additions: Madison Reed, 5-7 Fr.; Ryan Daniel, 5-5 Fr.; Korinne Estrada, 5-3 Jr.

Losses: Erica “Storm” Nana, (3 years), Amanda “Ziggy” McCaskill (1 year), Rachel Steiker (1 year)

Summary: Nagamine’s “Timex Crew” of Miyake, Fresquez, Look and Battaglia is intact on the back line. The foursome played 7,432 of 7,576 possible minutes (98 percent) in 2012 but could get a lift this time around from newcomers Reed, Daniel and Estrada. Miyake, the Mililani product with booming strikes, is still a safe bet to take set piece kicks and at least some of the penalty shots. Battaglia is coming off an All-Big West freshman team season, helping make up for McCaskill’s exit from the program for personal reasons.

GOALKEEPERS

Returnees: Erica Young, 5-7 Rfr.; Georgia Barnes, 5-6 Rfr.

Additions: Monk Berger, 5-7 Fr.

Losses: Kanani Taaca (5 years)

Summary: Taaca could talk the talk; her greatest asset was her communication behind the back row en route to 10 career shutouts. Young and Barnes did not play a minute last year, but should have picked up a few things from her by osmosis. Young played well in the second half of a spring exhibition shutout of USC. Berger, ranked No. 58 in ESPN’s Top 150 recruiting list, lurks as the future once she gets acclimated to the college level.