Ex-Punahou soccer player making grade at Harvard
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Maile Tavepholjalern went to Harvard because "she wanted to play top 25 soccer and get an Ivy League education," her coach says.
It looks like she'll get her wish. She started classes yesterday, and she is already a starting central midfielder for the 25th-ranked Crimson, who play one of the toughest schedules in women's collegiate soccer.
Tavepholjalern grew up in Hawai'i, attending Punahou from 7th to 10th grade, and moved with her family to San Diego two years ago to get more opportunities in soccer.
Harvard coach Tim Wheaton recruited Tavepholjalern where most players from Hawai'i are recruited, at the San Diego Surf Cup tournament. "She wanted to play top 25 soccer and get an Ivy League education," he said, "and we wanted her."
"She's like a great point guard in basketball, she just sees things," Wheaton said. "It's hard to teach, and hard to describe.
"She has the ball at her feet, and all of a sudden we're saying, 'What a great pass.' "
On Saturday one of those passes turned into what a reporter called "a classic ... perfect give-and-go" that gave Harvard a 1-0 lead over No. 6 Penn State. "You won't see a much prettier goal than that one," Wheaton said.
Harvard lost the game, 2-1, but Wheaton sees a lot of success in Tavepholjalern's future. "She will have great impact for us,'' she said.
This week, Harvard goes on the road to play No. 18 Washington and No. 6 Portland.
Alicia Sato (Iolani '00 of Mililani) is a reserve for Harvard. "She's the dream kid every coach wants to have," Wheaton said, "a fantastic student and great citizen, who makes us all look good."
MORE SOCCER
Loyola Marymount (Los Angeles)
Junior midfielder Shari Nishikawa (Iolani '00 of Kane'ohe) was selected to the all-tournament team in the Wake Forest/adidas Invitational last weekend in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Junior defender Jamie Shoma (Iolani '00 of St. Louis Heights) also starts for the Lions, who are 4-1. Shoma and Nishikawa were both two-time first-team all-state players for Iolani.
Junior Adam Sthay (Punahou '99 of 'Aina Haina) has allowed only three goals and has a 4-0-1 record since he took over as the starting goalkeeper for the men's team. Sthay was first-team all-state in 1999.
Oregon
Two-time O'ahu high school goal-scoring leader Mele French (Mililani '02) got her first career collegiate goal Sunday as the Ducks played to a 1-1 overtime tie with 23rd-ranked Utah in Eugene. "I happened to be at the right spot at the right time," said French of her 2-yard header.
With sophomore Nicole Garbin (Baldwin '01) undergoing season-ending knee surgery this week, French will be counted on for more of Oregon's offense. "Now we have to keep making progress," she said.
Pacific (Ore.)
Senior goalkeeper Ryan Stanley (Kaiser '98) was chosen Northwest Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week after his second and third shutouts of the season. Stanley gathered nine saves in the victories over Cascade (Ore.) and Humboldt State (Calif.). He has 18 career shutouts, half of them in his freshman season in 1998.
Stanley, a co-captain, is the only goalkeeper in the conference who has not been scored upon this season. "Ryan is the vocal and inspirational leader of our team," coach Jim Brazeau said.
Senior Kevin Arizo (Mililani '99), Pacific's fastest player, and sophomore Elliot Hirai ('Aiea '01 of Mililani) also start, both at midfielder.
Freshman Daniel Park, a first-team all-state player for Pearl City last season, is making a strong impression off the bench at defender, playing about half the minutes, Pacific spokesman Blake Timm said.
Senior Kaleo Titcomb (Kamehameha '99 of Kailua), junior Aaron Arakawa (Pearl City '99) and sophomore Jordan Lovell (Kamehameha '01 of Mililani) are reserves.
VOLLEYBALL
Loyola Marymount (Los Angeles)
Junior middle blocker Kea Kimball (Kamehameha '00 of Kaunakakai) was chosen on the all-tournament team at the Terrapin Invitational in College Park, Md., her second tournament award in as many weeks. She had 19 kills in the final match, against Maryland.
