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Irvine volleyball's Asuka home to play against UH | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper
Posted on: Wednesday, January 25, 2006

HOMEGROWN REPORT
 Irvine volleyball's Asuka home to play against UH

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Brent Asuka
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LET US KNOW

If you know of any athletes deserving of recognition, give us their names, high schools and graduation years, colleges and sports. E-mail us at: homegrown@honoluluadvertiser.com or contact Leila Wai at 535-2457.
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UC Irvine freshman libero Brent Asuka makes his Hawai'i collegiate debut tonight when the No. 4 Anteaters travel to Honolulu to play the University of Hawai'i in a pair of matches this week.

"It's gonna be exciting, nervous, everything," Asuka said. "I've always wanted to play here, in front of the crowd. I grew up watching them."

Asuka, an Iolani graduate, leads the team with 2.4 digs per game, playing in 25 of 26 games this season.

"Coach said I had a chance, but I had to work hard," said Asuka, who broke into the starting lineup at fall camp. "I guess it paid off."

He had 19 digs in a 26-30, 31-29, 30-27, 30-18 loss to Pepperdine on Friday. It was the fourth-highest total for a match in UC Irvine history and the second-highest in the country this season.

Asuka chose UC Irvine because, "coaches were good, the team was good, and coming to Hawai'i was a plus, too."

He played with Hawai'i setter Sean Carney, helping the Raiders to their first state title in 2003.

The Anteaters arrived yesterday afternoon and depart Sunday, leaving Saturday free to do as they please. Asuka plans on going to the beach, and visiting family and friends.

UC Irvine and Hawai'i play tonight and Friday at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Also, in the Pepperdine win over UC Irvine, Iolani alum Jon Grobe, a junior outside hitter for the Waves, had 14 kills, hitting .344, and added 12 digs and five blocks.

WOMEN'S SWIMMING

  • UC Irvine sophomore Chelsea Nagata (Maui '04 of Kahului) won three events in a dual meet against UNLV on Friday.

    Nagata won the 100 backstroke (56.64), 50 freestyle (24.18) and 100 butterfly (56.86).

  • San Diego senior Ashley Swart (Kaiser '02 of Hawai'i Kai) won three events in a dual meet against UC San Diego on Saturday.

    She won the 100 breaststroke (1:05.16), 200 breaststroke (2:21.31) and 500 freestyle (5:06.02).

    Senior Ashley Rose (Kealakehe '02 of Kailua, Kona) finished second in the 50 freestyle (24.44) and 200 backstroke (2:13.97).

    MEN'S SWIMMING

  • Stanford junior Hongzhe Sun (Iolani '03) won the 200 individual medley (1:47.43) and placed second in the 200 butterfly (1:46.52) in a dual meet against Arizona State on Saturday.

  • Pacific (Forest Grove, Ore.) freshman Wyeth Yogi (Kalani '05 of Honolulu) won his first event as a Boxer in the 100 freestyle (1:00.76) in a double dual meet against Lewis & Clark and Mills on Friday.

    WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

  • Menlo (Atherton, Calif.) freshman guard Kelci Fushikoshi (Lahainaluna '05) was named the California Pacific Conference Player of the Week on Jan. 18 after recording career-highs in points and rebounds.

    She came off the bench to lead all players with 17 points, and added eight rebounds and four assists in a 70-24 victory against California Maritime on Jan. 10. Two days later, against Pacific Union, she scored 17 in a 69-14 victory. This is her first weekly honor.

  • Portland State senior guard Sharon Wahinekapu (Kalaheo '00 of Waimanalo) came off the bench to score 16 points, including 9 of 9 from the free-throw line, in a 93-80 win over Idaho State on Saturday.

  • Eastern Kentucky junior center Fatai Hala'api'api (Lahainaluna '02) had 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks in a 71-68 loss to Samford Saturday.

  • Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.) freshman guard Shanna-Lei Dacanay (Punahou '05) had career-highs in points (14) and assists (10) in an 83-66 win over Brandeis University Sunday. Washington University, a Division III school, is ranked third in the d3hoops.com poll.

    MEN'S BASKETBALL

  • Colorado School of Mines (Golden, Colo.) freshman guard Kyle Pape (Iolani '05 of Honolulu) scored a team-high 21 points in a 77-58 loss to Regis on Saturday.

    TRACK AND FIELD

  • California-Berkeley freshman Fran Weems (Kealakehe '05 of Kailua, Kona) placed 21st in the 200 meters (25.56) and 28th in the 60 (7.91) at the Modrall Sperline Invitational Saturday.

  • Michigan junior Todd Iacovelli (Punahou '02 of Kailua) placed 10th in the 3000 (8:35.84) at the Red Simmons Invitational on Friday.

    WOMEN'S TENNIS

  • Cleveland State junior Sarah Galon (Leilehua '03 of Wai'anae) won her No. 1 singles and doubles matches against Dayton Saturday.

    She beat Allysa Detroy, 6-2, 6-2, and teamed with Morgan Ungerott to defeat Detroy and Kate Mellion, 8-6.

    Galon lost both her matches the following day against Michigan, falling to Christine Bader, 6-2, 6-3, and teaming with Ungerott in an 8-2 loss to Bader and Sarah Andrews, 8-2.

    Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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