HONOLULU, HI (August 21, 2013) - Fall is nearly here and that means Head Coach Gina Brewer and the Hawai'i Pacific women's soccer team is gearing up for another season on the pitch. The Sea Warriors are coming off a 2012 season that saw them finish in the middle of a strong Pacific West Conference with a 6-5-3 league record.  The 2013 campaign promises to be an exciting one, with a number of new players looking to make an impact for the Columbia Blue and Kelly Green.
 
Big Shoes to Fill
The Sea Warriors lose six seniors to graduation, including four of the top-five goal scorers from a year ago. The 2012 graduating class combined for nine All-PacWest awards over its careers and 16 of the team's 30 goals on the season.
 
Along with the goal scorers, the Sea Warriors will also miss the steady play and strong leg of defender Liana Gualdarama, who landed on the All-PacWest squad all four years she was at HPU.  Also departed is keeper Kiana Kaiwi who started 14 games in net for Sea Warriors in 2012 making 66 saves a year ago.
 
Influx of Talent/ Key Returners
-Defense
Returning for the Sea Warriors is a pair of senior defenders with a wealth of experience on the pitch. Nicole Craig and Ashley Deguchi have combined to play in 93 matches the past three seasons and HPU will rely on the pair to anchor the back line.  Coach Brewer specifically mentioned the importance of Craig's leadership to the team, “Nicole is a great leader for us. She leads by example and sets the tone for others.”
 
Along with the two seniors, HPU will look towards a group of five underclassmen to complete their “D”. The continued development of sophomore Sierra Kadooka will be important for the Sea Warrior defense after the Kailua native broke in to the starting lineup after just four games her freshman year. “Sierra is going to be a key player for us this season,” said Brewer. “She plays with a high level of intensity and gives 100% effort at all times.”
 
Other contributors on defense include sophomores: Jessica Hottois, Kaisha Chu, Christina Imada and Phoebe Minato, who comes to HPU after playing on Guam's Women's National Team.
 
-Goalkeeper
With the loss of Kaiwi, the HPU coaching staff will look to a pair of underclassman to fill the void. Sophomore Kelby Boswell filled in for the injured Kaiwi last season, stopping 12 of the 19 shots she faced, on her way to a 2-1-1 record in net. Figuring to be in the goalkeeper mix this season is local prospect Anu Kahele-Manners. Kahele-Manners has been described by the HPU coaching staff as a pure “shot stopper” with the ability to make critical saves in order to keep her team in games. The freshman was recently named to the US Youth Soccer, “Best 11” All-Tournament Team for the girls under-18 division.
 
-Midfielders
In the midfield is where the Sea Warriors will sport the most depth in 2013 as they feature five returners from a year ago, a junior college transfer and a pair of talented freshman.
 
Much of the HPU offense in 2013 will go through Ashlyn Ubongen and Breanna Gaddis. Ubongen, who played in all 18 games a year ago, is a creative attacker and excels as a savvy creator. Gaddis was a regular sub a season ago and finished tied for fifth on the team in goals scored. With good size at 5' 8, look for the Sea Warriors to find the head of Gaddis on set plays and corner kicks.
 
Joining Ubongen and Gaddis in the midfield is the ultra-competitive, tough tackling, Taylor Rae Silva. The experienced junior started 15 games for the Sea Warriors a year ago and saw action in 17 games in 2011. Two new faces could also factor in to the mix with the addition of junior college transfer Laura Angulo and freshman Sky Nanoo. Angulo was an all-conference performer at Foothill College in 2012, while Nanoo earned all-conference and MVP honors at Bella Vista High School last season.
 
-Forwards
The Sea Warriors will rely heavily on senior captain Andrea Aguirre to lead the scoring charge. After being named to the All-PacWest team in 2011, the aggressive Aguirre followed up with a strong performance in 2012 leading the team in goals and points. With one of the more powerful shots on the team, Aguirre put nearly 50% of her shots on goal a year ago. Brewer emphasized the importance of Aguirre for the 2013 campaign, “Drea has an unbelievable nose for the goal and she will be a key component to our attack this season.”
 
Joining Aguirre up front will be the powerful sophomore Erika Ellis, who Brewer used as a spark off the bench to challenge opponents last season. Ellis managed two goals on just eight shots a year ago, including a game winner against UH-Hilo on the Big Island. The HPU coaches are also excited about the arrival of freshman Vanna Hitachi who they believe can use her speed to cause havoc on opposing defenses and create opportunities for her teammates. The Sea Warriors will also turn to the experience of junior Lexi Cameau who has seen action in 24 games her first two seasons at HPU.
 
Let's Play Soccer
With practice underway, Brewer looks forward to the 2013 season, “We are going to be an exciting, young group. A high amount of energy is required to compete in the PacWest Conference and we are going to play an attacking style to put pressure on teams.”
 
The Sea Warriors open regular season play on September 5th against Chaminade in a non-conference tilt at Atherton Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.