All the questions from last season have evolved into confidence for University of Hawai'i women's soccer coach Pinsoom Tenzing.

Instead of reeling from losing seven offensive contributors and dealing with an unknown entity, Tenzing has assembled an experienced squad ready for its first Western Athletic Conference regular-season title since 2005.

"This is perhaps the most hopeful I've been in the beginning of the season ever," Tenzing said.

That's not saying he doesn't have problems. He must deal with injuries — a problem that has plagued the Rainbow Wahine the past few years.

Hawai'i opens its season in tonight's Ohana Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi tournament. The Rainbow Wahine play Kansas at 7 and Auburn Monday at 7. Kansas and Auburn play tomorrow at 7. All games are at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

The Rainbow Wahine will ease into the non-conference season unlike last season, when the pint-size players were on a mission to prove they could win in the post-Natasha Kai era. But after a 6-2-2 start through the first half of the season they stalled to 2-9 through the latter half, including a 2-5 WAC record, and lost their final five games after injuries decimated the starting lineup.

"It's a lot similar to last year's team, but I think we got better," co-captain Jessica Domingo said. "We're just trying to build on what we did last year.

"It's weird this year, because as much as we're preparing for the preseason, there are so many people hurt or not 100 percent and we can't really do that. We have to just get them ready for the WAC."

All involved with this team insist it is the most capable, well-rounded squad in recent years and the level of excitement is nearing peak levels.

"Last year's team was a huge, huge surprise," Tenzing said. "I entered the season with a lot of trepidation because we were such a young team and players hadn't seen much playing time. It's a different situation this year."

Led by Domingo, a two-time all-WAC player, and fellow co-captain Tehane Higa in the back, the Rainbow Wahine are "concentrating on playing a fast brand of soccer," Tenzing said. Their style of play is "not choreographed, but playing instinctively," he added.

One of Tenzing's quickest squads, the undersized Rainbow Wahine — 20 of their 23 players are 5 feet 6 or shorter — rely on their speed to negate their lack of size.

"I keep harping on the fact that we don't want a wrestling match," Tenzing said. "We play where they aren't and exploit open spaces. That's why quickness is so important.

"Those are the kinds of things we've been working on."

Their movement of the ball is something Tenzing claims to not see in college soccer, and "we have better control" than years past. "The decision making is much faster, and movement of the ball is uncanny."

Like last season, he implemented a high-pressure defense.

Tenzing must deal with knee injuries to defensive starters Koren Takeyama and Shawn Higa, and the uncertainty of all-WAC forward Taryn Fukuroku because an eye injury for the season-opening tournament.

Fukuroku, Takeyama, Domingo and goalkeeper Kori Lu were all chosen to the preseason all-WAC squad.

Domingo insists that even with 10 returning starters — counting Shawn Higa, Takeyama and Fukuroku — the depth on this year's squad means there are "a lot of question marks."

"Everyone is fighting, and no position is won completely," she said. "We have a lot of questions about what kind of soccer we're going to be able to play at the start of the season. We'll have to progress more slowly, and hopefully we'll peak at the right time. I think we started the season strong and fizzled (last year)."

The defense, which allowed four goals in the first 10 games last season, is an unknown commodity. With Shawn Higa and Takeyama missing the start of the season, two less experienced players will have to step into their speedy shoes.

"I'm confident in the team, because everyone works hard," Tehane Higa said. "But the back is new, so that's the only thing that will worry me, how everyone will adjust."

What may separate this team from the rest is its closeness on and off the field.

"We're all super close," Tehane Higa said. "We do a lot of things together, like on the weekends.

"Since we do get along better, we'll get along better on the field and the connections will be better."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.