Hawaii soccer coach Michele Nagamine will probably be easy to spot in the airport on Monday.
The Rainbow Wahine gave Nagamine a birthday hat and feather boa to celebrate on Friday and she vowed to wear the ensemble on the trip home if the team completed a four-game road trip with a winning record.
The Wahine held up their end by delivering their third victory of the 12-day trip with a 2-1 win over Montana on Sunday in the final match of the Montana Invitational at South Campus Stadium in Missoula.
"If that’s all I have to do to go home 3-1, I’ll take it," Nagamine said.
Freshman Sonest Furtado scored her fourth goal of the trip off a rebound to give UH the lead 25 minutes into the match. Ashley Haruki added her first goal of the season 13 minutes into the second half and the Wahine defense held off the Grizzlies’ comeback attempt to even their overall record at 5-5.
The Wahine played without junior Lidia Battaglia, who suffered a sprained ankle in Friday’s win over Eastern Washington. Nagamine moved Storm Kenui, who has four goals this season, from the midfield into the back line and started T.J. Reyno in the midfield.
"(Battaglia is) our most experienced defender, but we rallied nicely," Nagamine said.
Nagamine said the Grizzlies (4-5) "put their foot on the gas and did not let up the entire game." But UH goalkeeper Erica Young made six saves as the Wahine allowed a single goal for the second straight match after giving up eight in the first two matches of the road trip. Brooke Moody scored Montana’s lone goal on a penalty kick in the 65th minute.
"We’ve got a real good connection now between the back four and just the overall effort today was so impressive. They really grinded this one out," Nagamine said.
"It really shows how far we’ve come. (Montana) created some opportunities that looked similar to things we’ve seen earlier this year, but we found ways to get bodies at the end of balls that go down the line and we’ve become a lot more disciplined and patient."
The Wahine return to campus on Monday and play the program’s annual alumnae game on Saturday. They open Big West play on Oct. 2 against Cal State Fullerton at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
