Hawaii’s strong start fizzled and the Rainbow Wahine soccer team opened the Big West season with a 3-2 loss to Cal State Northridge on Thursday at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

CSUN defender Gabriela Robles broke a 1-1 tie with a goal off a corner kick less than five minutes into the second half and the Matadors held off the Rainbow Wahine in the conference opener for both teams.

UH (0-5-1) took the lead at the 16:31 mark of the first half when Eliza Ammendolia flicked a header to Kelci Sumida, who lofted a shot over CSUN goalkeeper Amanda Delgado and into the net for her second goal of the season.

The Matadors (2-9) answered in the 29th minute when Cindy Arteaga fired a low shot past UH’s Lauren Marquez and the teams went into halftime tied 1-1.

Robles gave CSUN the lead with the first goal of her career and Brooke Mobeck added an insurance goal in the 77th minute.

Sumida closed the gap with 4:23 left when she fired a shot from the right side past Delgado for her second goal of the night. CSUN held off the Wahine the rest of the way.

UH heads on the road today and plays at Long Beach State (4-4-1, 1-0) on Sunday.