RAINBOW WAHINE SOCCER
Tenzing 'ecstatic' with UH's early play
The Hawaii women's soccer team takes on nonconference opponents Kent State and Winthrop in the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Classic this weekend.
The Rainbow Wahine open against Kent State of the Mid-American Conference. The Golden Flashes have played two double-overtime matches, drawing 0-0 with Ohio State and defeating Cleveland State 2-1.
OUTRIGGER HOTELS & RESORTS CLASSIC
Schedule: Tomorrow, Hawaii vs. Kent State, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Winthrop vs. Kent State, 7 p.m.; Sunday, Hawaii vs. Winthrop, 5 p.m.
Where: Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park Stadium
Admission/Parking: Free
Notes: The Wahine outshot two opponents last weekend 31-4. ... Kori Lu's blanking of Oklahoma on Monday night was her fourth career solo shutout. She shared six others as a freshman last year.
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Kent State coach Bob Marinaro is in his sixth season and has guided the Golden Flashes to winning seasons the last three years.
Sunday's foes, the Winthrop Eagles from the Big South Conference, were blanked in their opener 2-0 by Gardner-Webb, but rebounded Monday to shut out Lipscomb 5-0.
UH coach Pinsoom Tenzing wants his team to continue playing they way it did last weekend.
Without a high-profile goal scorer, the Wahine have worked hard to keep their game on the ground with short, quick passes. Even when a play misfires, the good intent is often obvious. As the players get to know each other better and recognize the passing lanes, there will be fewer misfires.
"I'm ecstatic with the way we are playing. We have improved so much from the spring and have been putting it together against stern opposition." Tenzing said.
"They are playing attractive soccer because of their mobility. We have kids willing to play both sides (offense and defense) of the ball. If we put away some of the goal opportunities we create, life would be so much easier."
With a young team, Tenzing sees his players striving to be tactically sound and do the things they are supposed to do.
"We don't get it done all the time, and those are the things we are working on. Even the pros make mistakes," Tenzing said.
He also will make some changes in the starting lineup this weekend to make sure players maintain their fitness.
"The conditioning level is very high. If a player doesn't play much on Friday or Sunday and we only have a walkthrough on Saturday, they will lose that high level," Tenzing said. "We always use as many substitutions as we can."
That is usually dictated by the way the match is going. Scoring early goals facilitates the use of more players off the bench.
After this weekend, the Wahine make their first road trip of the season, playing three matches in Arizona.
Note: Junior defender Shawn Higa sat out Monday's match vs. Oklahoma with an injured right knee. She had an MRI yesterday and the coaches should have the results tonight.