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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, October 24, 2008

UH soccer senior biographies

 •  Senior class a study in ethics, on and off field

TEHANE HIGA

Position: Defender.

Hometown: 'Aiea.

Graduation Date: May 2009.

Major: Family Resources.

Career Highlights: 2007 Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. ... Named to the all-WAC Academic team in 2006 and 2007. ... Team co-captain the past two years.

Post-UH plans: "Hopefully go to graduate school to become a counselor."

Best UH Memory: "Winning the WAC Tournament and going to the NCAA Tournament last year, just making history; no one did it before and I was a part of the team that made it that far."

What she'll miss the most: "My teammates. Just seeing them every day, and playing soccer at a really competitive level."

Fun Fact: "I don't have a driver's license."

Tenzing on Higa: "Tehane has been absolutely magnificent. The only flaw is that she's been racked by injuries the last two seasons. She's an invaluable soccer player and a terrific student, so she lives up to the high standards of what a student-athlete should be."

TARYN FUKUROKU

Position: Forward.

Hometown: Wailuku, Maui.

Graduation Date: May 2010.

Major: Kinesiology.

Career Highlights: Named to the All-WAC first team in 2006 and 2007. ... On the career lists, she is third in points (69), second in shots on goal (98) and tied for second in assists (19). ... Team captain. ... Twice named the WAC Offensive Player of the Week this season.

Post-UH plans: "Probably go to grad school for physical therapy"

Best UH Memory: "Going undefeated at home last year, and winning the WAC and going to the NCAAs last year. We were the first team in school history to do all that stuff."

What she'll miss the most: "Hanging out with all the girls and being around them all the time. And waking up at 6 a.m. to go running. I'm just joking."

Fun Fact: "I can clap my flat feet. It's like clapping with your hands."

Tenzing on Fukuroku: "She has a charming personality. She's very vivacious. She's a lovely person to be around and a terrific soccer player. It's really too bad that in the dying stages of her quality career she hasn't been able to play with her striking partner Ambree Ako. The two are magnificent together. Without one, they suffer. She's doing her best and she gives us everything out there. Another excellent student. She's been the scholar athlete of the team in her career."

KELLI-ANNE CHANG

Position: Forward/Midfielder.

Hometown: 'Aiea.

Graduation Date: May 2009.

Major: Family Resources.

Career Highlights: One of four UH players to record a hat trick after scoring three goals versus Idaho (Nov. 4, 2007). ... Scored dramatic buzzer-beating game-winner against Cornell (Sept. 15, 2006).

Post-UH plans: "Hopefully find a job in ... I don't know yet."

Best UH Memory: "Making it to the NCAAs last year. Because it was something our program had never done. Just the feeling of being a part of an accomplished team makes you feel good and makes you want to work hard for next year."

What she'll miss the most: "The running ... no I'm just kidding. I'm going to miss all the girls, the home games, just the whole aspect of competitive soccer."

Fun Fact: "I'm actually 4-11 and not 5-0 (as she's listed in the media guide), but back in the day I wasn't a midfielder ... I was a goalie."

Tenzing on Chang: "Another terrific kid with a lot of potential. Her lack of conditioning in previous years set her back a little bit, but she's magical and does magical things on the field when she does get in. She's been the reason for many of our successes in the past."

KRISTEN OSHIRO

Position: Midfielder.

Hometown: San Diego.

Graduation Date: May 2009.

Major: Communications.

Career Highlights: Named to the all-WAC Academic team in 2006 and 2007.

Post-UH plans: "I'm hoping to intern with the UH sports marketing department."

Best UH Memory: "For the WAC championship game, I was coming back from injuries and I didn't think I was going to start. But my dad flew up for the game, and I did get to play, so that was nice to be able to play in front of him."

What she'll miss the most: "Playing at home; home games are the best. My family is so no-shame. They have signs and T-shirts and stuff. It's fun playing in front of them."

Fun Fact: "Touching my ears soothes me. My teammates make fun of me. I do it all the time. I even do it on the field sometimes."

Tenzing on Oshiro: "A terrific, terrific fighter. Injuries have been an issue for her, but she never gives up, and as hurt as she is, she's not nearly ready to relinquish her starting position."

ALEXIS CHOI

Position: Midfielder.

Hometown: Wahiawa.

Graduation Date: December 2009.

Major: Biology.

Career Highlights: Tied single-match record for assists with three at Louisiana Tech (Oct. 28, 2007). ... Named to Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic all-tournament team in 2006 and 2007.

Post-UH plans: Try to get into nursing school.

Best UH Memory: "Probably winning the WAC last year and the WAC Tournament championship. We had an amazing season; we did really good against all the teams and the team unity was good. Everyone on the team was playing for each other."

What she'll miss the most: "My friends. Just seeing them every day and playing soccer with them."

Fun Fact: "I'm super good at air hockey."

Tenzing on Choi: "A gentle soul who is loved by everybody. A wonderful kid to have on the team. It's all about diversity, and she brings a personality that is rare in many group enterprises. She worked really hard to get her starting position, and although she is struggling with injuries, too, she fights to keep her starting position."

KORI LU

Position: Goalkeeper.

Hometown: San Clemente, Calif.

Graduation Date: December 2009.

Major: Travel Industry Management.

Career Highlights: 2007 and 2005 All-WAC second team. ... School's all-time leader in goalkeeper wins (31), and games played (75) and started (73) in goal and fourth in saves (220).

Post-UH plans: "Probably to get a job, preferably working in the hotel industry, and start the real world."

Best UH Memory: "Probably winning the WAC Championship. Our whole team was involved, even the people on the sideline. We were just encouraging each other."

What she'll miss the most: "The girls, just hanging out with them every day at practice and on the road trips. There's always funny things happening."

Fun Fact: "I can cross my eyes."

Tenzing on Lu: "Just a beautiful individual and she impresses me that although the starting position was hers from day one, she kept working and came more fit every year. I can't say what that does to the general character of the team. She doesn't carry that around with any degree of pride, she just does it."