The Brigham Young-Hawai'i women's soccer team likely will be the only local Division II program with a shot at an at-large berth to the NCAA postseason.

The four local schools — BYU-Hawai'i, Chaminade, Hawai'i-Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific — started men's and women's soccer programs this season.

The Seasider women are 9-3 overall and 5-1 in the Pacific West Conference with five matches remaining.

BYU-Hawai'i will play Hawai'i-Hilo today and Saturday, Grand Canyon and Hawai'i Pacific next week, and first-place Notre Dame de Namur (5-0-1) on Oct. 28.

Seasiders head coach Justin Wagar is hoping the season finale will be for the PacWest title.

"Around this time next week I hope we're playing for the conference championship and hopefully an NCAA bid," he said.

The PacWest, which expanded to six teams prior to this season, isn't guaranteed a berth in the 32-team postseason field for soccer.

Wagar said the NCAA sent him a letter saying it was interested in inviting the Seasiders if they keep winning.

BYU-Hawai'i has scored the most goals (34) and allowed the fewest (7) among PacWest teams.

Freshman Emily Mearns has scored eight goals, and juniors Jill Haar and Heidi Bushman each have six for the Seasiders.

Junior defender Sarah Norton and sophomore midfielder Kristi Astin anchor a defense that has posted seven shutouts this season.

Wagar said: "Next year, we'll be better," because the Seasiders lose two seniors and neither starts.

CROSS COUNTRY

The Pacific West Conference cross country championships is Saturday at 7:30 a.m. on the Hawai'i-Hilo campus.

The men will run an 8-kilometer course; the women will follow and run a 6K course.

Brigham Young-Hawai'i is favored to win the men's team title, and HPU senior Todd Iacovelli (Punahou '02) will be looking to continue his impressive run.

The Seasiders are No. 5 in the latest West Region rankings. In the Hawai'i Pacific Invitational last week, they finished in 10 of the top 17 positions.

Jacob Puzey, Matthew Gulden, Golden Harper, Thomas Puzey and Jeremy Van Tress are their top runners.

Iacovelli has won four meets this year and finished second in the other to a Division I runner.

"Physically I'm right where I want to be," he said. "My fitness is improving every week."

As far as being the favorite, Iacovelli said: "I definitely feel pressure but only from myself. I can't control the other runners in the race."

HPU senior Brandon Laan has finished runner-up to Iacovelli in their last two meets.

Hawai'i-Hilo will be favored to win the women's meet.

Led by junior Kari Andrew and sophomore Ashley Benson, the Vulcans have won the three previous small college races.