HILO, Hawai'i – Sunday marks a new era in Hawai'i Hilo soccer with a new men's head coach and a brand-new turf field as the Vulcans take on Cal Poly Humboldt to open the 2022 season.
First-year head coach Garrett Estrin will guide 12 returnees and 11 newcomers as they hope to improve upon a 6-7-1 overall finish from a year ago.
Sunday will be the first action for UH Hilo after having zero exhibition matches through the preseason.
"Having very little exhibition play under our belt — that's a challenge. Being on an island, we don't get a lot of opportunities to get exhibition games and matches that some of the mainland schools get," Estrin said. "Humboldt will be playing their sixth game, I believe; that's between their exhibition and regular season. That could be a blessing for us because we're fresh and it might not be great for them because maybe their legs are a little more rubbery. I don't know. We'll see come Sunday. Hopefully we have the upper hand."
Amongst the returners are six seniors: MarcAnthony Cabrera (Honolulu, Hawai'i/Kalani HS), Julian Garcia (Albuquerque, N.M./Saint Pius X HS), Alex Hernandez-Herbach, Brady O'Neill (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta HS), Andrew Rehedul (El Paso, Texas/Chapin HS) and Wataru Muto (Chiba, Japan/Yachiyo HS).
"It was a big period of transition, just been a lot of ups and downs through that time," O'Neill said. "We still didn't have the field at the time. It's been a lot of adversity we've had to go through and the boys have stuck well together. I think one of the strong points about our team: we do all the little things right."
Sunday's game is part of a two-game homestand to open the 2022 campaign.
SEPT. 4 (11 a.m.): CAL POLY HUMBOLDT LUMBERJACKS (HILO, HAWAI'I)
The Lumberjacks have started the season with three draws, most recently playing to a 1-1 score last Thursday against Hawai'i Pacific.
The other two ties came against Northwest Nazarene (2-2) and Holy Names (0-0) last week.
Tenth-year head coach Fred Jungemann returned nine starters from a 2021 team that finished 10-5-2 — the most wins the program had seen since 2006.
Dylan Tovani, Adrian Gallardo, Christian Gonzalez, Devin Hauenstein and Motoki Sato received All-California Collegiate Athletic Association accolades with Tovani and Gallardo earning United Soccer Coaches All-West Region distinctions.
Gallardo started in goal in all three games this season, tallying up eight saves.
The goal-scorers for the Lumberjacks have been Hauenstein, Juan Perez and Leandro Weingartner.
GAME DAY INFO
- Hawai'i Hilo Athletics held a blessing ceremony last Friday for its new Vulcan Soccer Field in addition to the renovated Vulcan Softball Field and resurfaced UHH Tennis Courts.
- Parking is available free in the lot adjacent to the Vulcan Soccer Field along West Kawili Street.
- Tickets are $5 for adults at the gate. UH Hilo students, staff and faculty get in free. More information available at HiloAthletics.com/tickets.
- Bathrooms and concessions will be available in the new multipurpose building near the Vulcan Soccer Field.
- Digital game program and information available at HiloAthletics.com/GameDay.
- Live video stream available online for a $10 single-game purchase.
