Michele Nagamine got her message across loud and clear.
After Hawaii’s early lead evaporated into a 2-1 deficit in Thursday’s match against Cal Poly, the Rainbow Wahine soccer coach’s forceful halftime speech in a corner of the field echoed clear across an empty Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
“I don’t like to get in people’s faces like that, but we’re better than that,” Nagamine said. “We are better than the results that we’re getting and that’s going to be on me and I had to fire them up in the second half.
“Now they know what I’m talking about when I say play with heart and be true to yourself.”
Following what Nagamine called a “flat, uninspired” first half, the Wahine played much of the second half on Cal Poly’s end of the field while limiting the Mustangs, the top scoring team in the Big West, to two shots in the second 45 minutes.
But scoring opportunities came up empty in UH’s third one-goal loss in its past four matches. The exception was a 3-1 loss at Long Beach State a week ago that was tight deep into the second half.
So the Rainbow Wahine (0-7-1, 0-3) enter today’s 5 p.m. meeting with UC Santa Barbara (4-6-2, 2-1) at WPSS still in search of their elusive first win and looking to start the match with the intensity of Thursday’s finish.
“There was so much more heart, so much more courage, so much more grit in the second half and I think some eyes opened today,” Nagamine said.
“We’re finding combinations of players who are going to play with that heart and give us that fire.”
Nagamine noted the defensive efforts of freshmen and former Kamehameha teammates Carley Park and Tausani Tavale among the performances that caught her eye on Thursday.
“I thought we grew a lot in the second half,” Nagamine said. “I thought the freshman outside backs dealing with the leading scorers and some most athletic and fastest forwards in the conference, they really did come alive tonight.
“I’m happy that they had some confidence. It wasn’t easy … but hopefully we’ll learn some valuable lessons from this.”
Sophomore Kelci Sumida enters today’s game with a team-high four goals after converting a cross from freshman Krista Peterson into a score less than two minutes into Thursday’s match. The duo had looks at a tying goal in the second half, but Peterson misfired on a shot from close range and Sumida had a shot hit off the crossbar.
“We just keep knocking on the door and knocking on the door and one of these is going to be the answer,” Nagamine said.
UC Santa Barbara made the trip to Hawaii following a 1-0 win at UC Davis on Thursday. Leila Emmerson scored the winning goal in the 97th minute. Seven players have accounted for UCSB’s eight goals, with Lauren Helwig scoring twice this season.
“We played a lot of people 90 minutes (on Thursday), so playing Santa Barbara (today) is not going to be easy. But hopefully we can come out inspired again,” Nagamine said.
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Big West soccer
At Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium
UC Santa Barbara (4-6-2, 2-1 BWC) vs. Hawaii (0-7-1, 0-3)
>> When: Today, 5 p.m.
>> TV/Radio: None
>> Live stats: Hawaiiathletics.com
