Hawai'i opens WAC season against Rice
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The last time the University of Hawai'i and Rice women's soccer teams met, the Owls ousted the Rainbow Wahine from the Western Athletic Conference tournament.
It was the second straight year Rice managed to end Hawai'i's season, but that isn't yet occupying the minds of the players in tomorrow's match, the WAC opener for both teams.
Tenzing
"Just now, we're not thinking about it," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said. "We've been busy with the games we just played."
Hawai'i (7-2-2) returned from another successful road trip Tuesday night, going 2-0-1, and began practicing for the Owls yesterday afternoon.
Hawai'i plays Rice (7-1-2) at 7 p.m. tomorrow, then continues WAC play against Tulsa (3-6-1) Sunday at 5 p.m. Both games will be played at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
In what is becoming one of Hawai'i's top conference rivalries (the series record is 3-3), Tenzing said the game against Rice ranks second in importance only to playing conference leader Southern Methodist.
Rice returns 19 players and all 11 starters, including preseason all-WAC picks Sarah Yoder, a forward, and defenders Caitlin Currie and Erin Droeger. It also features senior goalkeeper Lauren Shockley, the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Week, who has allowed three goals in 10 games.
WHAT: Western Athletic Conference matches TOMORROW: Rice vs. Hawai'i, 7 p.m. SUNDAY: Tulsa vs. Hawai'i, 5 p.m. WHERE: at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium TV: Live on KFVE (Ch. 5). ADMISSION: No charge.
"I expect a team that hunts down balls very aggressively," Tenzing said. "If they lose the ball in the offensive third of the field, you will see two or three kids coming after the ball to reclaim it.
UH women
"They are very strong heading team. But we are a team that also heads now; we've become much stronger aerially."
Tenzing said the Owls, ranked No. 9 in the SoccerBuzz Central region, also are "much swifter than they appear to be."
Like Rice, Tenzing said the Rainbow Wahine play with a defensive scheme that features forwards helping out.
"Our defense has been really, really terrific, and that is because it starts on the offensive end," he said. "You won't see anybody standing around on defense."
Unlike Rice, Tulsa boasts no all-WAC picks, and carries a 1-4 record against Hawai'i, including being outscored 9-0 the past two games.
But Tenzing won't overlook the Golden Hurricane.
"They have a new coach (Rena Richardson)," Tenzing said. "That could mean that they will come with a new outlook on how they want to play, a new energy. Or we could catch them in transition.
"If we blink, we won't make the WAC championships. We need to get two or three games under our belt before we start taking anyone lightly."
Tenzing hopes the Rainbow Wahine, who played one of their toughest non-conference schedules in school history — including games against Duke, USC, Saint Mary's and Loyola Marymount — are prepared for conference play. Hawai'i is No. 12 in the SoccerBuzz West region, after starting the season unranked.
"It was no picnic, I'll tell you that," Tenzing said. "We're hoping that because they've handled all those big names and big teams, the WAC will be easier for them.
"But, who knows? If they don't play their best game, it's a Division I team they're playing against, and I keep warning them about that all the time."
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
