Three stationary yellow defenders manned the 18-yard box at the Manoa grass practice field. The plastic sentries proved utterly ineffective at stopping ball after ball fired into the net by Hawaii players.
Thursday night’s opponent, yellow-clad Long Beach State, is not nearly as immobile as "Bob, Tom and Fred," as UH coach Michele Nagamine dubbed the mannequins. Still, UH was attempting to rediscover something it couldn’t find over its 0-2 road trip last week — its finishing touch.
"Coach Bud set up this whole shooting practice for the offense so we can get that mentality," sophomore forward Kama Pascua said. "Specifically the yellow targets. … so we don’t give up and do whatever it takes to get the ball in the back of the net."
Senior captain Hayden Gibson said the team was flustered and "kind of panicking" during the disappointing trip, a 2-1 loss at UC Santa Barbara and 2-0 shutout at Cal Poly. The losses dropped UH to 6-8, and most alarmingly, 1-3 in the Big West Conference. The Rainbow Wahine have four matches remaining (two at home) to claw from eighth place into the top four and qualify for the Big West tournament for the first time.
UH might have to win out to assure itself a spot.
"The kids know that the pressure is on. I’m curious to see how they respond to that," Nagamine said.
The Poly defeat dropped UH to 1-8-2 all-time in three seasons of Big West road matches. Of more recent note, it marked just the second time the Wahine were shut out this season.
A lengthy team meeting after the Poly loss and a confidence-boosting practice Tuesday was cathartic, and reinforced that there’s still time to do some damage.
"We focused on what we’re good at, and I think that’s going to make a difference Thursday," Gibson said. "Just do what we do best."
That’s finding the net with multiple sources, as UH’s Big West-best 1.86 goals-per-match average attests.
"I think if we just play our game and make them mark us and make them have to pressure us, rather than us having to worry about them is probably the biggest thing," Gibson said. "Coming through these next four games, we’re focusing on what we do best and our strengths, rather than trying to change our game for the team that we’re playing."
That team is one that’s given UH fits since joining the Big West; the Wahine are 0-4-1 in their last five against the LBSU 49ers. The last win in the series came in 2004.
The Beach (5-5-5, 1-2-2) was ranked No. 23 earlier this season.
"Somebody asked me on the road, ‘Who is your nemesis?’ I said, ‘Everyone in the conference!’ " Nagamine said. "It’s an unpredictable (league). All the teams are rebuilding and young in some way, shape or form. So that affects the consistency in play."
That being said …
"Long Beach has been a very consistent performer, in the way that they work so, so hard," Nagamine added. "And they are fast, they are technical, they’re athletic. Their front runners are very, very dangerous. They don’t give up on plays. … I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. They’re going to be a handful."
Pascua and fellow sophomore Storm Kenui lead UH offensively with five goals apiece, while senior Krystal Pascua and freshman Sonest Furtado have four each. That foursome has scored 18 of UH’s 26 goals.
Defensively, outer back Dani Crawford is questionable with a toe injury, while midfielder Ashley Haruki was sick this week.
Nagamine said Erica Young is still the team’s starting goalkeeper coming off the road trip. Last season’s Big West All-Freshman team goalkeeper, Monk Berger, last got the nod eight matches ago.
