As she reflected upon her time as a key member of the University of Hawai'i women's soccer team, a tear came to her eye.

But her next words seemed more fitting of a player who has put the fear into opposing goalkeepers for the past four years.

"Tasha Kai don't cry."

Hawai'i senior Natasha Kai is full of contradictions: She has a soft spot for her family, yet shows no mercy toward opponents.

And Sunday, she'll say aloha. "I'll probably cry," she says, "but it will be happy tears."

Kai will play her last two home games this weekend, as the Rainbow Wahine meet Nevada tonight at 7 and Fresno State Sunday at 5 p.m. to close out the Western Athletic Conference regular season. Both games are at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

Kai will join goalkeeper Mahie Atay, midfielder Natalie Groenewoud and defenders Emily Rose and Ashley Chaffin in saying good-bye Sunday.

"Some didn't get any playing time, others were critical to our success, like Natasha Kai," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said. "But they are all wonderful kids."

Kai, the most decorated player in the program's history, holds nearly all UH offensive records, including goals (68), shots (424), and points (154). She is a two-time WAC Player of the Year, and was named to the Soccer Buzz All-America third team in 2003, the same year she led the nation in goals with 29.

"I really didn't know it was going to be anything like this, I just wanted to come back and play soccer," Kai said. "I didn't know what to expect, about any awards or anything."

Kai, a member of the U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team last year, has been the focus of opposing defenses since her first weekend as a Rainbow Wahine, when she was named the WAC Player of the Week.

It was a relief for the Kahuku High alum, who decided to sit out the year after she graduated for "personal reasons."

"I just feel it was successful, for me sitting out a year to come back and do good," she said. "I think I was successful in fulfilling my goals and dreams of playing soccer. It was good for me and good for the team."

This weekend the Rainbow Wahine (8-7-2, 4-1-0) will need her help to clinch one of the top two seeds for next week's WAC Tournament at Boise, Idaho. Six of the WAC's eight teams — Hawai'i, Nevada, Fresno State, Boise State, San Jose State and Utah State — have already filled the tournament's spots, but the top two receive byes into the semifinals.

"We want to get first," sophomore co-captain Jess Domingo said. "We want everyone to know we are the best in the WAC. It would be nice to finish the season with wins, considering how we started the season (3-6-2 before conference began)."

This weekend's opponents are the only other WAC teams with one conference loss.

"It's critical to be successful at home," Tenzing said. "We do play with a different level of energy at home."

Nevada (10-5-1, 4-1-0) is led by forward Miranda Montejo, who has scored eight goals with three assists, and all-WAC preseason picks Naomi Hernandez and Lauren Kinneman.

Fresno State (6-8-2, 3-1-1) is led by 2004 all-WAC second-team member forward Kortney Lewis, who has five goals and five assists; 2004 all-WAC first-team member Cortney Sobrero (five goals, one assist) and preseason WAC Defensive Player of the Year Rochelle Jagdeo.

NOTES

Hawai'i can win the WAC title and lock up the No. 1 seed in the tournament with the following scenarios: wins over Nevada and Fresno State; a win over Nevada and a tie with Fresno State; a win over Nevada and loss to Fresno State (if Fresno State ties or loses to San Jose State today).

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.