The University of Hawai'i women's soccer team started the season 0-2 for the first time since 1996 after losing to Denver 2-1 today.

Pioneers senior midfielder Taryn Hemmings scored twice for Denver in the final game of the OHAHA Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi tournament at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in front of 1,183.

Denver (3-0-1), ranked 23rd in the Soccer America poll released yesterday, won the tournament. Saturday it tied Long Beach State, which beat Hawai'i 4-3 in overtime Wednesday.

"I don't know the history, but that was a sad loss again," Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing said. "We're competitive with these big teams. It's a particularly sad loss because I thought we were better. But they were well organized.

"We could have easily won these games and that could have set us on a good course the rest of the season."

Denver and Hawai'i, both NCAA Tournament teams in 2007, played to a scoreless tie in the first half but the Rainbow Wahine capitalized on the first play of the second half on a goal by junior forward Ambree Ako.