UH women set up daunting schedule
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i women's soccer team is facing its "most difficult" schedule in team history this year, according to coach Pinsoom Tenzing.
National powerhouses Duke and Brigham Young, the Pac-10's Southern California, and West Coast Conference teams Saint Mary's, Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount and San Francisco highlight the list of non-conference teams Hawai'i will be playing.
Tenzing
"The consequence of (Hawai'i's) performance is quite important, because they don't necessarily have to beat all the teams, but if they play well against them they will get consideration by the NCAA tournament committee," Tenzing said.
Tenzing said in the past, Hawai'i did not have the strength of schedule to be considered for an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament.
"In that sense (the schedule) is superb," he said.
Hawai'i will also host the Western Athletic Conference Championships in November, awarded to the Rainbow Wahine after they took home a share of first place in the conference last year.
"That's the bravo we get from the conference, allowing us to host it," Tenzing said. "We're at an advantage at home playing in front of our fans."
It will also be the last time Hawai'i faces Rice, Tulsa, UTEP and main rival Southern Methodist in conference play.
"We'll surely miss them," said Tenzing about SMU. "We've always been a thorn in their side, just as they have been in ours."
The Rainbow Wahine return 20 letterwinners and nine starters, including two-time defending WAC Player of the Year Natasha Kai, from a team that set a team high in wins (13) and captured a share of its first WAC title since the program's inception in 1994.
Aug. 27-29—OHANA Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi Tournament (Aug 27: Saint Mary's, 7 p.m. Aug. 28: Saint Mary's vs. Pacific, 7 p.m. Aug. 29: Pacific, 5 p.m.). Sept. 1—at UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m. Sept. 3—at USC, 3 p.m. Sept. 5—at Loyola Marymount, 1 p.m. Sept. 10-13—Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic (Sept. 10: Duke, 7 p.m. Sept. 11: Long Beach State vs. Duke, 7 p.m. Sept. 13: Long Beach State, 5 p.m.). Sept. 19—Portland State, 5 p.m. Sept. 24-26—Montana Fall Classic, hosted by Montana (Sept. 24: vs. New Mexico, TBA. Sept. 26: vs. Gonzaga, noon). Sept. 27—at Brigham Young, 5 p.m. Oct. 1—Rice, 7 p.m. Oct. 3—Tulsa, 5 p.m. Oct. 8—at Southern Methodist, 7 p.m. Oct. 10—at UTEP, 1 p.m. Oct. 15—Nevada, 7 p.m. Oct. 17—Boise State, 5 p.m. Oct. 22—at Fresno State, 7 p.m. Oct. 24—at San Jose State, 3:30 p.m. Oct 26—at San Francisco, 7 p.m. Nov. 4-6—Western Athletic Conference Championships, hosted by Hawai'i (Nov. 4: Quarterfinals. Nov. 5: Semifinals. Nov. 6: Championship.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
