UH soccer hosts Air Force & NDSU this week

The University of Hawai‘i women’s soccer team returns to the pitch this week with home matches against Air Force and North Dakota State as part of the OUTRIGGER No Ka Oi Tournament.

The Rainbow Wahine will host the Falcons on Thursday at 7 p.m. and the Bison on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at Waipi‘o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

The matches will not be televised, admission to all UH home matches are free.

Hawai‘i (1-3) is looking to bounce back after consecutive 1-0 losses to Baylor and Utah State. The team is coming off a demanding start to the season, having played four matches in an eight-day span, including back-to-back games against Baylor and Portland, the first time the Rainbow Wahine have played on consecutive days since 2018. The opening stretch saw the team have no more than two days off between matches.

True freshman Nalani Damacion has made an immediate impact, earning Big West Freshman of the Week honors following the opening weekend. Damacion scored the game-winning goal in a season-opening victory over Georgia Southern, converting off a Jacey Jicha free kick in the 86th minute. It was the first game-winner in the final five minutes of regulation by a UH player since 2019 and the first-ever game-winning goal by a Rainbow Wahine freshman in a season opener. Damacion has started the last three matches, leading the team with five shots on goal and ranking second with seven total shots.

Several newcomers have made significant contributions for the Rainbow Wahine in the early part of the season, with seven new players logging a combined 1,074 minutes on the field. Four of these newcomers have earned at least one start, with freshman Alice Davidson assisting on the game-tying goal against Georgia Southern and making her first career start last Sunday.

Junior transfer Caroline Carter has started three of the four matches and logged 206 minutes, while Laule‘a Ah Mook Sang made her first career start against Portland and has played 201 minutes.

Forward Jordyn Eldredge Sagapolutele, a Punahou graduate and transfer from Delaware State, has logged 78 minutes in three matches, registering two shots on goal.