Not likely to push a player off the ball but capable of running its opponent off the field, the University of Hawai'i women's soccer team embarks on the post-Natasha Kai era tonight.

But how do you replace a player like Kai — the three-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year now spending her days with the U.S. National team?

"You don't. It's impossible," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said.

Instead, the Rainbow Wahine will depend on a veteran defense and a highly fit team to keep up with opponents.

"Without (Kai) our defense is important to keep us in the game," goalkeeper Kori Lu said.

Hawai'i will open against Washington and Oklahoma this weekend in the OHANA Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi Tournament. It plays Washington tonight at 7 and Oklahoma Monday at 5 p.m. Both games are at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

Washington and Oklahoma play tomorrow at 7 p.m.

"They're good," Tenzing said of his players. "My only concern is their size. They play really, really hard, they work really, really hard, and they're supremely conditioned.

"I'm extremely pleased with them."

Without a tested offense, Tenzing is depending on the defense of midfielder Jessica Domingo and backline of Lehua Wood, Tehane Higa, Shawn Higa and Koren Takeyama to keep the games close.

"I can safely say it's going to be difficult to score goals against us," he said. "It's a matter of how prolific we're going to be in scoring goals. We're really going in blind as far as what to expect. We're going to get better and better as the weeks roll by. It's a young team, (and) everything is ahead of them."

With no field player taller than 5 feet 5 projected to start — Tenzing called the team "miniscule" — the Rainbow Wahine likely will have a hard time matching up with their opponents.

His plan to combat the size discrepancy is to have players "be where (opponents) aren't."

He wants his team to find and create space, and claim it before the opposition can get to it.

The master of that is Domingo, the team's captain.

Domingo, who is 5-3, said she looks at the team's size as a challenge.

"That's going to be our biggest threat," she said. "People are going to underestimate us."

The team — from the forwards to the goalkeepers — has embraced Tenzing's philosophy of a high-pressure defense — think basketball's version of a full-court press played out on a 120-yard by 80-yard field — with players in all positions in constant motion on both sides of the ball.

It had to change its style of attack — mainly send the ball long to Kai — because of a lack of returning targets.

Not only did UH lose Kai, it also lost her younger sister, Kri-sha, an all-WAC second-team defender expected to play up top this season, to a back injury. Adria Campbell, an all-WAC second-team midfielder, Gabina Bohlman and Aimee Cohen left the team.

The five players took 23 of 30 goals last season with them.

But Domingo calls their replacements "the quintessential forwards. They work hard, play defense, run plays. They're always a force to be reckoned with."

Still, as Tenzing said, "goals are going to be hard to come by this season."

Sophomore Taryn Fukuroku is the most experienced, having played in all 20 games last season. Freshman Ambree Ako has excelled in the preseason and Kelli-Anne Chang, Emma Makepa-Foley, Vanessa Bailey, Emily Chun are also listed as forwards.

His midfielders are small, and will need help from the defense to win balls in the air. Because of their size, it will be important for the team to keep the ball on the ground, in what Tenzing likes to call "attractive soccer."

Midfielders listed are Domingo, Dayna Omiya, Larilyn Alota, Chang, Makepa-Foley, Liza Amaya, Aimee Watanabe, Bailey, Kelsie Look, Alexis Choi, Kelly McCloskey, Jodie Toyama and Kristen Oshiro.

Tenzing is happy with their work during practice, but, like the offense, "we'll see what happens on a real stage."

Many of the offensive attacks will be started from the backs, which Tenzing said is the "best lineup that I've ever had in the back four."

All four defenders are capable ball handlers, with Takeyama, an all-WAC first-team member last season, providing speed up the left side.

"You don't find many fullbacks who are offensive threats," Domingo said.

Also on defense are Alota, Chun, Toyama and Julia Siljestrom.

Lu is another returning all-WAC player.

She "has come up trumps. She's even better than she was last year," Tenzing said.

A surprise backup to Lu is former UH basketball player Brittney Aiwohi, who joined the team in the spring and "has improved tremendously," Tenzing said.

NOTES: Washington went 0-17-3 last year after advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament the year before. Oklahoma was 13-6-1, setting program records for wins, goals, assists and points last season.

2006 RAINBOW WAHINE SOCCER SCHEDULE

All times local

Games at Waipio Soccer Complex

AUGUST

OHANA Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi

25—WASHINGTON, 7 p.m.

28—OKLAHOMA, 5 p.m.

SEPTEMBER

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic

1—KENT ST., 7 p.m.

3—WINTHROP, 5 p.m.

CATS Classic (Tucson, AZ)

8—vs. Pacific, 5 p.m.

10—at Arizona, 1:30 p.m.

12—at Northern Arizona, 7 p.m.

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Shootout

15—CORNELL, 7 p.m.

17—SAN FRANCISCO, 5 p.m.

OHANA Hotels & Resorts Soccer Invitational

21—DETROIT, 7 p.m.

25—CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE, 5 p.m.

OCTOBER

1—at San Diego, 1 p.m.

3—at Loyola Marymount, 4 p.m.

6—at Idaho, 3 p.m.

8—at Boise State, 1 p.m.

13—LOUISIANA TECH, 7 p.m.

15—UTAH ST., 5 p.m.

22—SAN JOSE ST., 5 p.m.

27—at Nevada, 7 p.m.

29—at Fresno St., 2 p.m.

NOVEMBER

Western Athletic Conference Tournament

at Reno, Nev.

2—Opening round, tba

3—Semifinals, tba

5—Championship, tba