Rainbows have high hopes in '03
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Midfielder Mia Moe, one of eight returning starters, hopes to lead Hawai'i to its first WAC championship.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser UH soccer What: Ohana Hotels and Resorts No Ka 'Oi women's soccer tournament Where: Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium When: Tomorrow, Hawai'i vs. No. 11 Arizona State, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Arizona State vs. Bowling Green, 7 p.m.; Sunday, Hawai'i vs. Bowling Green, 5 p.m. 2003 schedule August Ohana Hotels and Resorts No Ka 'Oi tournament Tomorrow—Arizona State, 7 p.m. Saturday—Bowling Green vs. Arizona State, 7 p.m. Sunday—Bowling Green, 5 p.m. September 5—at Northridge. 7—at Long Beach. 8—at Cal State Riverside Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Soccer Classic 12—Utah Valley State vs. Morehead, 7 p.m. 13—Utah Valley State, 7 p.m. 14—Morehead State, 5 p.m. 20—Cornell, 7 p.m. 26—at Rice.* 28—at Tulsa.* 29—at Oral Roberts. October 3—SMU, 7 p.m.* 5—UTEP, 5 p.m.* 10—at Nevada-Reno.* 12—at Boise State.* 13—at Idaho State. 17—Fresno State, 7 p.m.* 19—San Jose State, 5 p.m.* 25—Alumnae# at UH campus, 10 a.m. 27—Brigham Young, 7 p.m. November 6-8—WAC Tournament at Dallas Home matches played at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium *—Western Athletic Conference match #—exhibition match |
That could change this year with the addition of several key players, an elite passing attack and a rough-take attitude.
"I think this year we got a realistic chance of winning not only the regular season but also the postseason," said Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing, whose Rainbow Wahine have finished second in the WAC the past two seasons. "This is the best passing team that I've had. We've got speed, and we've got aggressive players. We should be exciting."
Hawai'i — picked to finish second in a preseason WAC coaches poll — will open its season against No. 11 Arizona State tomorrow in the Ohana Hotels and Resorts No Ka 'Oi tournament at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium. The match starts at 7 p.m.
The Rainbow Wahine will be without three-time All-WAC senior forward Arlene Devitt who was suspended for the season opener by Tenzing for disciplinary reasons.
In the meantime, Hawai'i will begin the season with one of its most experienced squads in school history. Hawai'i returns 19 letterwinners and eight starters, including senior midfielder Mia Moe and All-America sophomore forward Natasha Kai, the reigning WAC Player of the Year.
Hawai'i also features highly touted newcomers in freshman forward Krisha Kai, freshman midfielder/forward Koren Takeyama and junior forward Robyn deHay. Krisha Kai is the sister of Natasha, and deHay transferred from Stanford.
Natasha Kai and Devitt lead an offense that averaged 2.45 goals per game — the best in school history and one that ranked 30th out of 287 NCAA Division I teams.
Devitt holds school career records for points (74), goals (29), assists (16) and shots (186). Kai set single-season school and conference records for goals (16) and points (37) last season.
"I think if we work together like how we worked last year, we'll be unstoppable," Natasha Kai said. "The players Pinsoom brought in are really going to help us."
Added Devitt: "I'm playing with two good athletes up front (Natasha Kai and deHay). Everybody is just so strong."
Juniors Pam Fong, Tasha Hagan, Wendi Young, deHay and Krisha Kai will round out the Hawai'i attack.
In the midfield positions, Moe and juniors Natalie Groenewoud and Joelle Sugai return. Juniors Sasha Araya-Schraner, Kalena Eaton, Tia Medeiros and Takeyama will solidify the group.
"We have a lot of athleticism," Moe said. "We have a lot of soccer-minded players. I think the mix is very good."
On defense, juniors Krystalynn Ontai and Jessica Uecker will be joined by junior Liz Lusk who missed last season recovering from a right anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Sophomores Ashley Chaffin and Seline Williams also return to the defense, adding depth to a unit that posted three WAC shutouts — tying Fresno State, SMU and UTEP for best in the conference.
"We have a good defense, just like the previous years," Lusk said. "We've always been strong in the back."
All-WAC goalie Mahie Atay returns for her second season after finishing second in the WAC in goals against average (1.19). Junior Erin Chow is expected to challenge Atay for playing time.
Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.
