A rare double feature of BWC honors
As the Big West women’s soccer Twitter account put it — “DOUBLE RAINBOW”.
Raisa Strom-Okimoto and Lex Mata were named the Big West offensive and defensive players of the week today for their roles in helping Hawaii to a sweep of its two-game West Coast Conference road swing. UH came back to win 2-1 at Saint Mary’s in overtime on Thursday then blew past Pacific 5-0 on Sunday.
It marked only the second time in UH’s seven-year history in the BWC that it swept the two weekly awards. The only other time was Sept. 19 of last year, when Sonest Furtado and Mata were thusly honored coming off a 2-0 trip to Arizona State and Grand Canyon.
Strom-Okimoto scored the tying goal late in regulation at SMC and assisted on Lei Medeiros’ game-winner by putting a corner kick on the mark. She scored again (her third straight game with a goal) in UH’s four-goal first-half onslaught at UOP. She’s matched her goal output from last season and has 13 for her career. Surprisingly, this is the first career weekly award for the senior co-captain.
Mata had eight saves for the week, allowing one goal to pick up her third career player of the week honor. The Pacific game was the two-year starter’s fourth career shutout, and second of the season.
DOUBLE RAINBOW 🌈🌈@UHWahineSoccer sweep #BWCAOTW honors after a game-tying goal + game-winning assist and an 8-save weekend in a pair of road wins.
📰 https://t.co/070ovcoUNi#GoBows #PlayBig 💪⚽️ pic.twitter.com/ingWnIVHms
— Big West W-Soccer (@BigWestWSOC) September 3, 2018
UH next plays Friday at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium against future Big West opponent UC San Diego.
UC-San Diego, Friday. Are they now a D-1 program? I see they play HPU Tue.
The Tritons are still Division II, preparing to make their transition to Division I.