Women's Soccer | 9/7/2016 11:35:00 AM

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Sept. 7) – After picking up a pair of wins against California Collegiate Athletic Association opponents last week, the Central Washington University soccer team is poised to take on a pair of PacWest opponents. 
 
The Wildcats will take on the University of Hawaii at Hilo on Thursday (Sept. 8) before squaring of with Dominican University of California on Saturday (Sept. 10) in Nampa, Idaho.
 
"Last week was a tremendous step forward for us as a program," CWU Head Coach Mike Farrand said.  "We certainly understand two games don't make a season and we have more challenges ahead of us."
 
Central is 2-0 on the season for the first time since 2006, when the Wildcats also recorded two wins on the road.  They have not recorded two-straight victories to open the season against CCAA teams since their move to NCAA Division II.
 
The Wildcats nabbed a 2-1 victory over San Francisco State thanks to goals from Keilin Farrand and Emily Seelbach.  Freshman goalkeeper Emily Holt made six saves in her collegiate debut.
 
In the second game of the weekend, Central knocked off No. 24 Sonoma State in a 1-0 contest.  Holt recorded nine saves for her first clean sheet.  Jessica Haga found the back of the net off a set piece by Farrand and Allie Bohnett.
 
Farrand and company will be looking for a repeat performance in Nampa against Hilo and Dominican.
 
The Vulcans new head coach, Gene Okamura, brings a roster with seven seniors and an experienced goalkeeper to Idaho. 
 
Hilo finished below .500 last season with a 5-9-3 record.  The two sides have only played each other once.  The Vulcans came away with a 3-0 victory in 2007.
 
"This will be Hilo's first game of the season and they have new coach," Farrand noted.  "We are going in blind to this game, as we haven't played them in so long."
 
Hilo returns its leading scorer from 2015, Abcde Zoller.  Zoller notched four goals and one assist in her junior campaign.
 
Dominican University of California is 0-0-2 on the season, after drawing to both Menlo and San Francisco State.
 
The lone two goals scored by the Penguins this year came from Stephanie Pawek and Bailey Kiser. 
 
Saturday's match is the first contest between Dominican and Central Washington.
 
Dominican: "They have a coach who has been there for two years and he understands the challenge of playing the CCAA and the PacWest," Farrand added.  "If we want to be a quality program, these are two games and two teams that we need to challenge."
 
Kickoff is scheduled for noon on Thursday, while Saturday's match will begin at 10 a.m.