Steiner’s late goal helps Wahine swat away Nevada

Hundreds of gnats emerged from the Waipio Soccer Soccer Stadium field along with something else on Sunday.

Optimism.

With the minutes ticking down in regulation and tiny insects swarming the air over the pitch, Hawaii finally swatted away Nevada and picked up a long-awaited victory over a Division I opponent, 2-1, when Addie Steiner scored the game-winner on an assist from Raisa Strom-Okimoto.

UH (1-0-1) earned co-champion status of the first of three Outrigger Soccer Classics along with Oregon, which tied UH 1-1 on Friday. Oregon defeated Gonzaga 1-0 in a prelude to UH’s game.

The last time UH had a winning record at any point of a season was five games into 2013’s campaign.

“I know it was a rough season last year (3-14-1), so to get this win off early in the season, it’s making everyone more excited for what’s to come,” Steiner said.

The Rainbow Wahine continue play at home Thursday against Sacramento State in the next Outrigger tournament.

Steiner, a senior transfer from Northwestern, took an 87th-minute pass upfield from Strom-Okimoto — the kind of ball coach Michele Nagamine was looking for all game — and knew exactly what to do with it. The 5-foot-2 striker took a few rapid strides past the last Wolf Pack defender and lofted it over goalkeeper Kelsey Quintos, who’d come out to the top of the box.

“I like running fast forward the ball and 1-on-1 with the goalie,” Steiner said. “I feel like that was how I scored most of my goals (at Northwestern).”

It was the 20th career Division I score for the two-time Big Ten second-teamer, but her first in a Rainbow Wahine uniform.

That goal amounted to a pressure release for not just her, but the entire team. UH’s last victory was Sept. 24 of last year against Brigham Young-Hawaii; its last victory over a D-I opponent was 12 days before that against Cal State Bakersfield.

“That is exactly what Addie Steiner does,” Nagamine said. “The thing is, you just never know when you’re going to see it, because she might get a ball and drop it back, or she might spin you. She might hold her run and tear off through the middle.

“I think she’s definitely getting her bearings. Brand new to the team, she was a very late addition. I think she’s done a great job of trying to fit herself in.”

Junior forward Sonest Furtado was named tournament MVP. UH went up in the 16th minute when Furtado received the ball at the top of the box, spun around her defender and toward the goal. She was taken down from behind and awarded the penalty kick with no argument from the Wolf Pack bench.

Strom-Okimoto put it cleanly in the upper-right netting, giving Quintos no chance at it.

The sophomore missed her practice PK shot against the UH football team in a video that went viral earlier last week.

“I was confident, because the day after and the day after that we did PKs,” said Strom-Okimoto, whose score was her second career. “I stayed a little after practice. I’m making my PKs from now on! And then when we had the opportunity I took it, and I felt confident in myself.”