There are still reasons to smile for the Hawaii soccer team, as Thursday’s post-practice dance-off with the UH football team showed.

The last-place Rainbow Wahine will try to bust a move in the Big West Conference when they take on second-place Cal State Northridge on Sunday at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

If UH (3-10-1, 0-4 Big West) has any designs on a top-four finish in the regular season and an appearance in the Big West tournament, it must defeat the Matadors (9-5-1, 2-0-1), who’ve only been one of the more impressive teams in the conference this year.

UH has been without one of its best players in Kama Pascua (season suspension) and recent injuries have taken their toll on a battered defense.

"I think at some point, if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry," UH coach Michele Nagamine said. "I’m still very optimistic. I’m still very positive because of (the players). They come out and really work hard and bounce back pretty nicely. I think when you’re going through the season that we’ve had, that’s what you need to do."

Should UH put weeks of frustration aside and prevail over CSUN, it must still win all of its last three regular-season games — including two on the road — to even its record at 4-4.

"I think everyone’s pretty pumped, ’cause we’re talking about how we haven’t won a game in conference yet, and that just drives us to want to win the last few games that we have," co-captain Storm Kenui said. "We gotta win every game that we have left."

But first things first for a team that’s been outscored 16-3 in league play.

UH’s two starting center backs — senior Lidia Battaglia (pulled hamstring) and junior Elise Wassner (kidney infection) — are out.

Nagamine has moved junior defender Madison Reed up to holding midfielder and Kenui from midfielder to center back. Sophomore Paige Okazaki will join Kenui in the back.

"These kids are kind of being thrown into the fire, and we’re getting singed a little bit, but the personal progress that’s being made and the growth that’s happening is very, very good," Nagamine said.

For the Mililani product Reed, her time in recent matches and expected role this weekend marks the most action of her UH career.

"It’s been awesome," Reed said. "Just getting every opportunity to play. You can only play here for so long. Time goes by so fast. (It’s about) taking every moment that you get and making the most of it."

CSUN sophomore Cynthia Sanchez is second in the Big West in goals with 11. Last week she became the first Matadors player to reach double-figure scores in a season.