UH women buoyed by international invasion
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
University of Hawai'i women's water polo coach Michel Roy loves the talent of international players, but could do without their absences during the season.
Five international players joined the Rainbow Wahine after representing their countries at the FINA Junior World Championships in Australia from Jan. 22 to 30, and the European World Qualifying Tournament in Spain from Feb. 9 to 13.
Roy
Hawai'i (12-6, 7-2) started the season 2-5, but the addition of the players has sparked an eight-game winning streak, including yesterday's 9-5 victory over 12th-ranked San Diego State in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Center.
The players who missed time with the No. 4-ranked Rainbow Wahine were goalie Meike De Nooy and utility player Iefke Van Belkum of the Netherlands, utility players Amy Logan and Anna Sieprath of New Zealand and 2-meter player Monika Kruszona of Germany.
All are either freshmen or sophomores.
"I attribute the streak to five international athletes who came in in February," Roy said. "That changes our team because we have international players who have played for X number of years with the attitude and goals to go to the Olympics.
"It changes our entire starting lineup, our attitude, our training, the way we see the game, the way we play the game."
Roy, who served separate stints as head coach of the Canadian men's and women's national teams in the 1990s, said he has four more international players on the way next season.
"I was an international coach for X number of years," Roy said. "That helps because I have a lot of good friends around the planet. It helps to say, 'Hey do you have any good players? Send them to me.' "
Logan said Roy has done a good job of getting all the players to mesh in the pool in a short period of time.
"He's done really well getting us all on the same page," she said. "It's definitely challenging with Dutch girls, German girls, and New Zealand and Australian and Canadian girls, and the coach is a native French speaker."
In yesterday's victory over San Diego State, Beth Novick, a senior from Evergreen Park, Ill., scored four goals, Kruszona added three and De Nooy made eight saves.
Hawai'i outscored the Aztecs (10-11, 2-7) 6-2 in the second half, including two power-play goals in the fourth period.
"We weren't as effective with our crashing defense in the fourth quarter," Aztecs coach Carin Crawford said.
Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8041.
