The wrath of two Kaylas has propelled the Hawaii soccer team to two wins in two Big West Conference matches.

Senior Kayla Watanabe scored twice and sophomore Kayla Ryan added a late goal in Thursday night’s eye-opening 3-0 win over UC Irvine at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

UH (4-6-1, 2-0 Big West) is somewhere it’s never been, tied atop the conference standings through two weeks of play. The Wahine hadn’t even won a Big West opener until last week, but that changed with a goal by Ryan in a 2-1 overtime win over Cal State Northridge.

The follow-up was even more convincing after a slow start. UCI had 10 of the match’s first 11 shots and finished up 15-8 in that tally, but UH made the most of its chances in earning a result against the Anteaters (3-10, 2-1) for the first time in four matches at Waipio.

Watanabe’s 10th and 11th college goals were her first in a Wahine uniform. Both came on assists from freshman midfielder Eliza Ammendolia.

“There’s been a weight lifted off of my shoulders. I’m just so happy,” said Watanabe, a Mid-Pacific alumna who played her first three years at Idaho. “Thanks to all of my teammates for believing in me, and my coaches. They kept telling me, ‘It’s coming, it’s coming. Today’s the day.’ And it was the day.”

Said coach Michele Nagamine, “I could just feel it. It’s kind of like the weather. You know, you can smell the rain, you can see the clouds, and you’re like, ‘It’s gonna rain. It’s gonna rain.’ … In training, you could just see it coming.”

UH did not record its first shot until 20 minutes into the game, when Ammendolia launched a ball ahead to a streaking Watanabe. She knocked it down with one foot and directed it straight ahead with her second touch. UCI goalkeeper Maddie Newsom deflected it, but not enough to save it. Watanabe did two leaping fist pumps in celebration.

The second time, Ammendolia fired a sharp liner into the box and Watanabe redirected it in from the back post in the 58th minute. Irvine coach Scott Juniper yelled for an offsides call that never came; Watanabe said later she was sure she was on-side.

Ryan then snuck a bouncer off the leg of a UCI defender and to the far post in the 78th minute to complete the runaway win with her team-leading third goal of the season.

Senior goalkeeper Lex Mata saved 10 shots for her fourth shutout of the season and 12th of her career.

UH now heads to the road for matchups at UC Riverside (2-9-1, 0-2) on Thursday and Cal State Fullerton (9-2-1, 2-0) on Sunday. The Wahine are a combined 0-6 at those fields as a Big West member.