ISLE FILE
Top seed falls in Big Island Championship tennis
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Spain's Gala Leon Garcia beat top-seeded Anne Kremer of Luxembourg, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, yesterday in the first round of the WTA Tour's Big Island Championship at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.
Kremer seized a seemingly insurmountable 5-1 lead in the third set before Garcia rallied to post the upset in 2 hours, 48 minutes.
"She was playing quite good and she didn't let me play my game," Garcia said. "Then, a 5-1, I could see that she didn't have enough confidence. She started to miss a little bit."
Third-seeded Barbara Schett and fifth-seeded Meilen Tu also advanced in the hardcourt event. Schett beat Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei, 6-1, 6-1, and Tu edged Canada's Maureen Drake, 7-6 (6), 6-3.
Second seed Lisa Raymond will compete today, when the final nine first-round matches are held.
BASKETBALL
Wallace may be released tomorrow: University of Hawai'i basketball coach Riley Wallace remained awake and alert in the Intensive Care Unit at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas yesterday, and is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow.
Wallace underwent a two-hour brain surgery Friday to remove two subdural hematomas. A hematoma is a swelling filled with blood.
Doctors detected excess fluid in Wallace's brain yesterday, but it was not considered serious. A tube was inserted in Wallace's head to drain the fluid.
"The doctors are waiting for the rest of the fluid to drain out," hospital spokesman Rick Plummer said. "There were no residual injuries to the brain. He should be able to function normally and there are no long-term implications from the surgery."
Wallace, 60, woke up Thursday complaining of a severe headache. Joan Wallace said her husband felt dizzy, and had difficulty standing.
Wallace was in Las Vegas to meet with hotel mogul Bill Boyd, a UH booster.
SOFTBALL
Coolen to help Team USA: University of Hawai'i softball coach Bob Coolen will assist and help train members for the USA Softball team.
Coolen is one of 15 coaches throughout the country chosen by the Women's National Team Selection Committee to assist USA head coach Mike Candrea. Candrea is also the head coach at 2001 national champion Arizona.
"It says a lot about the credibility of our program and the athletes that have been a part of it providing tremendous visibility across the nation," Coolen said in a press release.
He is the first Rainbow Wahine softball coach to participate in the elite training program and the only Western Athletic Conference coach in the current group.
SURFING
Garcia ousted: Hawai'i's Sunny Garcia was eliminated from the Billabong/Boost Mobile Pro yesterday at Lower Trestles off San Clemente, Calif.
Garcia was defeated by Australian Danny Wills, 17.65 to 16.65, in the fourth round, which was completed in 6-foot waves.
Garcia was the only Hawai'i competitor remaining for yesterday's heats. Earlier in the week, Andy Irons, Kalani Robb, Shane Dorian and Bruce Irons were eliminated.
The semifinals and final of the contest have yet to be completed. The remaining surfers are Kelly Slater, Luke Egan, Guilherme Herdy and Michael Campbell.
WATER POLO
BYUH falls: Vanja Kalabic scored four goals, but the visiting Brigham Young-Hawai'i men's water polo team lost to No. 14 Cal Baptist, 14-9, yesterday.
