‘Watch out’: Rainbow Wahine soccer opens season with Big 12 test

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Rainbow Wahine soccer team is back on the field with their season opener about two weeks away and a tough test awaits — their first two opponents hail from the Big 12 Conference.

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“If we can come out on top in those games, I’m stoked and watch out everybody else,” said UH goalkeeper Kennedy Justin.

The Rainbow Wahine are looking to make a splash early this season against Texas Tech and Kansas State. Victory would be a much-needed spark for a team that totaled just four wins last year.

“Games like that are extremely fun because there’s nothing to lose. It gives us perspective, like this is what Power Five is,” said Justin.

The revamped roster includes 11 newcomers — seven are true freshman and four transferred in. With almost a dozen fresh faces, the team chemistry remains strong.

“I really credit our returnees for setting up a very open, welcoming environment that just has brought everybody into the fold so quickly,” said head coach Michele Nagamine. “They’re doing dinners at the beach, sunset. I was like, ‘Wow, where was this when I was playing?’”

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UH midfielder Izzy Ayala added, “When it comes to learning the new girls, you just take the time now to learn how they play, because they are all different girls with different playing styles, different backgrounds.”

Adding to the team bonding: an upcoming trip to Maui for an exhibition match with Seattle University, which features seven players from Hawaii.

It’s also the same weekend as the anniversary of the Maui wildfires.

“It really means a lot for us to get out there and perform a really important community service, but also honor the people who lost their lives in the Lahaina fires,” said Nagamine. “That is something that it hit all of us really hard. We all have family and friends on Maui.”

The ‘Bows open the season on Thursday, Aug. 13, against Texas Tech. You can watch live on KFVE beginning with the pregame show at 6:30 p.m.

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