Posted on: Wednesday, October 3, 2007
HOMEGROWN REPORT
Rutgers women's soccer gets boost from Gusman, Medcalf
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
The 4,948 miles separating Honolulu from Piscataway, N.J., wasn't enough to keep Glenn Crooks from recruiting here and apparently it wasn't enough to keep two former Hawaii prep standouts from going there.
The Rutgers women's soccer team (6-4-1) fell to Princeton, 5-1, last night.
Sophomore forward Caycie Gusman (Kamehameha '06 of Honolulu) has come off the bench in all 11 of the Scarlet Knights' games, scoring two goals on five shots.
"She has a good knowledge of the game. Without the ball, she's very good getting into position to attack," Crooks said. "Caycie's a very good player and the thing I love about her is personality — the team really loves her."
Freshman midfielder Ashley Medcalf (Pac-Five/Christian Academy '07 of Waipahu) has appeared in one match, but knee surgery has limited her action.
"Technically, she's very good. She can serve the ball right or left. She can elevate and time head balls very well," Crooks said. "That's huge because the set pieces are so big in our game, whether it's attacking or on the defensive end."
Crooks said he is unsure whether Medcalf will redshirt.
"That doesn't have to be decided yet. Ashley's going to be very good in this program. That's why I'm so anxious to get her out there and competing, yet we don't want to do anything that could endanger her in the long run."
The Rutgers' program produced current U.S. national team member Carli Lloyd (2001-2004).
MORE WOMEN'S SOCCER
Duke senior goalkeeper Allison Lipsher (Punahou '04 of Hawai'i Kai) made two saves Thursday in a loss to fourth-ranked Virginia. Lipsher made three saves in a double-overtime win over Virginia Tech Sunday.
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) freshman Cory Arashiro (Kaua'i '06 of Wailua) scored in the seventh minute of overtime in a 1-0 win over George Fox Saturday. Arashiro scored her first career goal on a give-and-go from Lauren Kanda (Castle '07 of Kane'ohe).
Azusa Pacific junior midfielder/forward Sarah Yoro (Mililani '05 of Mililani) scored two goals and assisted on another in an 8-0 win over San Diego Christian. Senior forward Mari Kasamoto ('Iolani '03 of Honolulu) came off the bench and added an assist. The No. 2-ranked Cougars (7-1-1, 3-0 Golden State Athletic Conference) beat Westmont, 3-0, yesterday and host Cal Baptist Saturday.
Pepperdine junior defender Kelsey Baker (Punahou '05 of Honolulu) has played in all nine games this season for the Waves (2-4-3). Pepperdine, which took No. 6 UCLA to double-overtime in a 1-1 tie, hosts Hawai'i Sunday.
Southern Oregon freshman forward Auika Muragin (Kaua'i '07 of Koloa) had an assist in a win over William Jessup and a goal Saturday against Northwest University. Muragin is tied for the team lead with four goals. She also has two assists for the Raiders (7-5-1). Sophomore defender Dianne Uehara (Kalaheo '06 of Kailua) is also on the SOU roster.
Boise State senior defender Alli Tsuchida (Punahou '04 of Honolulu) has started in all nine games for the Broncos (4-4-1). Tsuchida had one assist and five shots this season.
Loyola Marymount sophomore forward Katrina Chong (Hilo '06 of Hilo) scored on a header that came during a corner kick in a 3-1 win over Idaho Friday. Freshman midfielder/forward Nickey Ha ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) also appeared in the match.
NYU sophomore midfielder/forward Lucy Dolly Caires ('Iolani '06 of Honolulu) had an assist in a 4-0 win over Case Western Reserve Saturday. Caires has started in nine of the 10 games this season, and has two goals and six assists.
New Mexico sophomore goalkeeper Kiani Wong ('Iolani '05 of Honolulu) was named Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Wong registered nine saves in her second career shutout against Arizona State last week. New Mexico is off to its best start since 1997 at 6-2-2.
George Fox freshman midfielder/defender Nicole Akiu (Kamehameha '07 of Honolulu) scored two goals and assisted on another in a 7-0 romp over Simpson (Calif.) Monday. Akiu has four goals and four assists in 10 games. Junior defender Jasmine Ah Choy (Moanalua '05 of Honolulu) has appeared in seven games, including three starts.
FOOTBALL
Oregon State junior safety Al Afalava (Kahuku '05 of Laie) recovered two fumbles and returned one for 33 yards, but the Beavers (2-3, 0-2 Pac-10) fell to UCLA, 40-14. Afalava also had three tackles. Freshman reserve safety Suaesi Tuimaunei (Kahuku '06 of Laie) had a tackle.
California sophomore defensive end Tyson Alualu (Saint Louis '05 of Honolulu) had an interception late in the Bears' 31-24 win at Oregon Saturday. Junior defensive tackle Mika Kane (Kamehameha '05 of Hono-lulu) tipped the pass that fell into the waiting hands of Alualu. Kane added five tackles. The Ducks started junior Max Unger (Hawai'i Prep '04 of Kamuela) at center and senior Pat So'oalo (Kailua '03 of Kailua) at left guard.
Washington junior defensive end Daniel Teo-Nesheim (Hawai'i Prep '04 of Waikoloa) had five tackles, including a sack, in the Huskies' near-upset of No. 1 Southern California Saturday. Senior defensive tackle Wilson Afoa (Saint Louis '03 of Waipahu) added three tackles.
USC junior linebacker Kaluka Maiava (Baldwin '04 of Wailuku) had two tackles in the Trojans' 27-24 win.
UNLV freshman defensive lineman Malo Taumua ('Aiea '05 of Honolulu) started and had two tackles in the Rebels' 27-20 loss at Nevada.
Idaho freshman Jojo Dickson (Baldwin '07 of Wailuku) had five tackles — two for loss — in the Vandals' 48-20 loss to Hawai'i. Dickson had five tackles and forced a fumble in the season opener, a loss to top-ranked USC.
Linfield senior safety Keone Tawata (Radford '03 of Honolulu) had 12 tackles, forced a fumble and returned an interception 38 yards to set up a field goal, but the Wildcats lost to Willamette, 33-22, Saturday on a field goal as time expired. Tawata leads the Northwest Conference with 13.3 tackles per game.
Senior receiver Josh Vierra (Kamehameha '03 of Kahalu'u) caught eight passes for 83 yards and returned two punts for 31. Vierra is second in the conference in all-purpose yards (138.7 per game) and leads in punt returns (18.8-yard average).
Senior Stan Fisher (Punahou '03 of Kailua) had two 47-yard punts and leads the conference with a 46.6 average.
Whitworth senior running back Chris Ahsing (Campbell '03 of 'Ewa Beach) carried 13 times for 35 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown run, in a 49-0 shutout of Menlo.
Menlo senior linebacker Asti Merino (Kamehameha '04 of Honolulu) led the Oaks with 11 tackles. Sophomore defensive back Moe Manuma (Kamehameha '06 of Waipahu) had four tackles and freshman defensive back Halen Tanimoto (Kamehameha-Hawai'i '07 of Hilo) added four tackles.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
San Jose State sophomore libero Kristal Tsukano (Kamehameha '05 of Honolulu) had 13 digs in a three-game loss to Nevada Saturday. Freshman outside hitter Brianna Amian (Moanalua '07 of Honolulu) had three kills, two digs and an ace in a three-game loss to Utah State Thursday. The Spartans (6-9, 0-4 WAC) host Louisiana Tech tomorrow and New Mexico State Saturday.
Washington sophomore libero Tamari Miyashiro (Kalani '05 of Honolulu) had 21 digs and two aces in a sweep of Washington State.
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) senior setter Anela Iseke (Kamehameha '04 of Hau'ula) broke the Boxers' single-match record with 65 assists in a five-game loss at Linfield Saturday. Iseke is averaging 11.7 assists per game.
St. Mary's (Calif.) sophomore middle blocker Megan Burton ('Iolani '06 of Kapolei) hit .417 with six kills and was in on nine blocks in the Gaels' sweep of Gonzaga Thursday. Freshman setter Kapua Kamana'o ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) had 39 assists in a four-game win over Portland Saturday. St. Mary's is 10-4, 2-0 in the West Coast Conference.
South Dakota State freshman setter Melia Iwamoto (Kalani '07 of Honolulu) had 42 assists in the Jackrabbits' sweep of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Saturday. Iwamoto has 816 assists, already putting her in 10th place on the SDSU career assists list.
Hofstra senior libero/setter Shellane Ogoshi (Roosevelt '04 of Honolulu) had 16 digs at UNC Wilmington and 17 against Georgia State, both match highs. Ogoshi's 3,857 assists are third all-time at Hofstra. She is fifth in career digs with 1,432.
Cal State East Bay senior setter Alyssa Chang (Maryknoll '04 of Honolulu) had 31 assists in the Pioneers' three-game sweep of Hawai'i-Hilo Monday.
CROSS COUNTRY
Creighton senior Kari Tanimoto (Pearl City '04 of Waipahu) finished 56th at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational Saturday in Chicago. Tanimoto's time of 19 minutes, 26 seconds helped the Bluejays finish 10th.
California senior Pippa Macdonald (Punahou '03 of Kailua) placed 52nd at Saturday's Stanford Invitational. Macdonald finished the 6K course in 22:19.
Bears sophomore Francesca Weems (Kealakehe '05 of Kailua, Kona) was 56th in the 4K with a time of 16:41. California finished eighth as a team.
Willamette senior Carly Killam (Punahou '03 of Kailua) was 39th at the Charles Bowles Invitational in Salem, Ore. Saturday. Killam completed the 5K course in 18:49. The Bearcats claimed the team title.
MEN'S SOCCER
Gonzaga senior goalkeeper Vito Higgins (Pac-Five/Academy of the Pacific '03 of Kailua) made eight saves in a double-overtime tie Saturday at Portland. Sophomore reserve midfielder Tye Perdido (Seabury Hall '06 of Kula) had three shots, one on goal. Senior Daniel Scott (King Kekaulike '03 of Kula) started at defender for the Bulldogs (5-2-1, 0-0-1 WCC).
St. Mary's (Calif.) junior midfielder Justin Kim (Mililani '04 of Mililani) had an assist in a 2-1 win over San Jose State last week. St. Mary's (4-2) hosts Gonzaga Friday.
MEN'S GOLF
San Francisco junior Kurt Nino (Damien '05 of Honolulu) finished tied for 44th at last week's Hartford Hawks Invitational. Nino finished 55th at the Xavier Invitational, which concluded yesterday in Loveland, Ohio.
Also on the Dons' roster is junior Edward Han (Maryknoll '05 of Waipahu) and senior Moses Kahalekulu (Baldwin '04 of Wailuku).
WOMEN'S GOLF
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) sophomore Jasmine Ching (Waiakea '06 of Hilo) won medalist honors with an 83 at the second round of the Northwest Conference-South's five-round fall tournament at Michelbook Course in McMinnville, Ore.
Willamette junior Whitney Ueno (Hilo '05 of Hilo), who was 10th at last year's NCAA Division II National Championships, is studying abroad in Japan this semester. She plans to return to Willamette in the spring.
Idaho senior Kelly Nakashima (Baldwin '04 of Wailuku) finished third at the Guistina Memorial Classic in Corvallis, Ore. earlier this month. Nakashima shot 74-70-77 to lead the Vandals. As a junior she won the Inland Empire Intercollegiate, her first collegiate title, in addition to finishing eighth at the WAC Championships.
Stanford junior Mari Chun (Kamehameha '05 of Pearl City) finished in a tie for 26th at last week's Margaret Branch NCAA Preview in Albuquerque, N.M. Chun shot a 3-over par 222 (69-76-77).
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Colorado School of Mines' junior guard Kyle Pape ('Iolani '05 of Honolulu) was named to the Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference East Division Team. Pape, who made second-team All-RMAC East last season, started all 27 games and averaged 13.7 points per game last season. CSM is picked to finish fifth in the East Division.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.
