Posted on: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
HOMEGROWN REPORT
Vea digs in for Wildcats
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
Brandie Vea has proved her worth and her coach wants to make sure she is rewarded.
Vea, a 2007 Kalani graduate, is the starting libero for the Central Washington women's volleyball team and currently leads the NCAA Division II in digs per game with 6.23. She has helped the Wildcats to a 15-8 record this season.
"We're having a good year. We had a strong preseason schedule, which we did well in," Central Washington coach Mario Andaya said. "We had a lot of young players that saw some playing time last season so we were anticipating them to see a lot more playing time this year, especially players like Brandie."
Despite her accolades, Vea, who joined the Wildcats as a walk-on, remains without a scholarship.
"We didn't have any scholarship money for her position when she first walked on," Andaya said. "She's certainly earned it, but we're just very limited on scholarship money. Hopefully, we can get her one soon."
Andaya is not the least surprised by Vea's play.
"Her work ethic is probably the biggest factor in her success, which affects the team's success," said Andaya, who is in his 13th season at Central Washington. "She would come in during the preseason, when there was no limit to practice hours and she'd work out on her own. A lot of times she'd ask coaches for extra (repetitions). She's always asking questions and constantly working to get better. Brandie absorbs a lot and she's been applying that on the court."
In a pair of victories over Saint Martin's (Wash.) and Montana State-Billings last week, Vea had 30 digs and three service aces.
"She's a good server, very accurate. She has a jump float, which pushes some passers back, but she also does good placement on her short serves," Andaya said.
Central Washington, which competes in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, is currently 7-4 in league play with five matches to play. The champion of the GNAC — along with the champions of the Pacific West Conference and the California Collegiate Athletic Association earn automatic berths to the NCAA Division II Pacific Regional. Five other teams will earn at-large berths based on the regional rankings.
"If we win Saturday, we'll tighten up the (GNAC) race," Andaya said. "As for regionals, we pretty much have to win the conference to move on because a lot of the California schools are taking up the other berths."
The Wildcats, who last made the Regionals in 2006, host Western Washington Saturday.
MORE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Nevada sophomore outside hitter Kylie Harrington (St. Francis '07 of Honolulu) had 13 kills and six digs in Thursday's four-set win over Louisiana Tech. Freshman setter Tatiana Santiago (Kamehameha '08 of Kahuku) added five digs and three assists. In Saturday's four-set win over Utah State, Harrington had 16 kills, two blocks and a dig and Santiago had seven digs and five assists. Nevada plays Hawai'i Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Washington junior libero Tamari Miyashiro (Kalani '05 of Kane'ohe) had 14 digs and three assists in a sweep of Washington State Friday.
Pepperdine sophomore setter Kealohilani Kea (Kamehameha '07 of Honolulu) had 51 assists, 12 digs, one kill, one ace and a block in a four-set loss at San Francisco Saturday.
Boston College freshman outside hitter Jordan Meredith (Kamehameha '08 of Honolulu) had 10 kills, six digs and two assists in a three-set loss at Wake Forest Friday. In Saturday's three-set loss at Duke, Meredith had a team-high 10 kills with five digs and freshman outside hitter Brennan Clark (University High '08 of Mililani) added six digs.
Syracuse senior defensive specialist Marissa Kanemura (University High '05 of Honolulu) had a career-high 32 digs in Friday's five-set loss to Cincinnati. In Sunday's four-set loss to Louisville, Kanemura had 11 digs and an ace.
St. Mary's (Calif.) freshman outside hitter Chanteal Satele (Word of Life '08 of Mililani) had 13 kills, two digs and four blocks in a sweep of Santa Clara Friday. Sophomore setter Kapua Kamana'o ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) had 38 assists, six digs, two kills and a block and junior middle blocker Megan Burton ('Iolani '06 of Honolulu) had four kills, six blocks and two assists.
Regis (Colo.) freshman libero Cassidee Young (Kamehameha '08 of Pearl City) had 10 digs in Friday's four-set loss at Nebraska-Kearney.
Concordia (Ore.) freshman setter Skyler Kamaka (Kamehameha '08 of Kane'ohe) was named Cascade Collegiate Conference Setter of the Week for the second consecutive week. She had 56 assists and 13 digs in Friday's four-set win over Eastern Oregon and had 28 assists and five digs in Saturday's three-set loss to the College of Idaho. Freshman libero Kaylyn Hayashikawa (Hawai'i Prep '08 of Waikoloa) had eight digs for College of Idaho.
FOOTBALL
Southern California senior linebacker Kaluka Maiava (Baldwin '04 of Wailuku) had four solo tackles in Saturday's 17-10 win at Arizona.
Washington senior defensive lineman Daniel Te'o-Nesheim (Hawai'i Prep '04 of Waikoloa) made two solo tackles and assisted on another in Saturday's 33-7 loss to Notre Dame.
Oregon sophomore quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (Saint Louis '06) completed 17 of 26 passes for 147 yards in Saturday's 54-20 win at Arizona State. Masoli ran for a 3-yard touchdown and threw a 27-yard score.
California junior defensive end Tyson Alualu (Saint Louis '05 of Honolulu) had six tackles with two sacks and deflected two passes in Saturday's 41-20 win over UCLA. Senior defensive tackle Mika Kane (Kamehameha '05 of Kailua) added one tackle.
UNLV sophomore defensive tackle Malo Taumua ('Aiea '05 of Honolulu) made two tackles and had a quarterback hurry in Saturday's 42-35 loss at Brigham Young. Senior punter CJ Santiago (Saint Louis '04 of Honolulu) had two punts for a 34.0 average, both landing inside 20-yard line.
New Mexico State senior linebacker La'Auli Fonoti (Kahuku '04) made six solo and three assisted tackles, including one for a 2-yard loss, in Saturday's 20-14 loss at Idaho. Freshman linebacker Robert Siavi'i (Leilehua '08 of Wahiawa) had one tackle and freshman running back Kama Bailey (Damien '08 of Honolulu) had one punt return for four yards, but fumbled on the play.
Weber State sophomore quarterback Cameron Higgins (Saint Louis '06 of Hawai'i Kai) completed 21 of 28 passes for 334 yards and four touchdowns in Saturday's 42-14 win at Northern Arizona. Junior wide receiver Cody Nakamura (Baldwin '05 of Wailuku) caught a 46-yard TD pass from Higgins in the first quarter. He finished with four grabs for 98 yards. Weber State (7-1, 5-0 Big Sky) moved up two spots to 16th in this week's The Sports Network (Football Championship Subdivision) poll and three spots in the NCAA FCS Coaches' poll to 17th.
Montana-Western freshman quarterback Micah Mamiya (Saint Louis '08 of Honolulu) threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's 41-38 loss at Eastern Oregon. Mamiya also rushed 14 times for 35 yards. Freshman wide receiver Martin Iosefo (Leilehua '08 of Wahiawa) caught two touchdown passes and finished with four grabs for 64 yards. Junior running back Kekoa Perbera (Mililani '06) caught two passes for 12 yards. Sophomore safety Scott Keiter-Charles (Castle '07 of Kane'ohe) had eight tackles and an interception. Sophomore wide receiver Pono Mathews (Kaua'i '07 of Lihu'e) gained 97 yards on four kickoff returns with a long of 31 yards.
MEN'S SOCCER
Gonzaga sophomore forward/midfielder Nick Love (Punahou '07 of Kane'ohe) scored his first goal of the season in the 69th minute of Friday's 2-1 loss to Portland. Junior midfielder Tye Perdido (Seabury Hall '06 of Kula) assisted on the play.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Azusa Pacific senior forward Sarah Yoro (Mililani '05) scored a goal and assisted on another in a 3-0 win over Point Loma Nazarene Saturday. Yoro broke a scoreless tie in the 32nd minute on a shot from 22 yards. In the 62nd minute, she found Bridget Brotherton, who scored with a shot from 16 yards. Azusa Pacific is 13-1, 8-0 in the Golden State Athletic Conference.
St. Mary's junior midfielder Ashley Nied (Punahou '06 of Honolulu) scored in the 49th minute of Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to Gonzaga. Nied's seventh goal of the season came on a shot from 15 yards.
Pacific (Ore.) sophomore forward Ashley Kanda (Castle '07 of Kane'ohe) scored the lone goal in the 62nd minute of Saturday's 1-0 win over Linfield. Junior midfielder Cheryl Yasumoto (Pearl City '06 of Waipi'o) assisted on the play. Sophomore goalkeeper Erin Ichimura (Baldwin '07 of Wailuku) made three saves.
Wisconsin-Parkside freshman midfielder Lauki'i Cheng (Kalaheo '08 of Kailua) scored a goal and had an assist in Saturday's 5-0 win over Kentucky Wesleyan. Her older sister, sophomore forward/midfielder Kahili Cheng (Kalaheo '07 of Kailua), had two assists.
CROSS COUNTRY
Nicole Anderson ('Iolani '05 of Kailua) of Amherst (Mass.) finished 17th out of 67 runners at Saturday's Little Three Championships with a 5-kilometer time of 20:14. Teammate Christina Wong (Punahou '07 of Honolulu) finished 23rd in 20:29 as Amherst was second out of three teams.
Soka (Calif.) freshman Alexandria Andrist (Mid-Pacific '08 of Honolulu) finished 87th out of 95 runners at Saturday's Biola Invitational with a 5K time of 24:47.0. Soka placed ninth out of 10 teams.
Oregon Tech freshman Kelsey Abellanida (King Kekaulike '08 of Makawao) finished 82nd out of 120 runners at Saturday's Beaver Classic with a 6K time of 24:54. Willamette (Ore.) freshman Melissa Kawana (Mililani '08) was 103rd in 25:56.
Pacific Union's Christal Nishikawa (Hawaiian Mission '05 of Honolulu) finished 18th out of 45 runners with a 5K time of 24:32 at Friday's Holy Names Invitational. Nishikawa was Pacific Union's top finisher and the Pioneers finished fourth out of five teams with 78 points. In the men's 8K race, Cal State East Bay freshman Dillon Soldwisch (Lahainaluna '08) was 26th out of 38 runners in 32:59. East Bay won.
Cal State Stanislaus freshman Dawson Vorderbruegge (Kaiser '08 of Hawai'i Kai) placed 23rd out of 57 runners at Saturday's California Collegiate Athletic Association championships with an 8K time of 27:04.0. The Warriors finished fifth out of seven teams.
Eastern Oregon freshman Keilani Wasson (Kahuku '08 of La'ie) placed 62nd out of 81 runners at Saturday's Lewis-Clark State Invitational with a 5K time of 21:26. Eastern Oregon finished fourth out of eight teams with 92 points.
Florida A&M's Paul Williams (Leilehua '08) finished 18th out of 77 runners at Saturday's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championships with an 8K time of 27:50.39. The Rattlers placed fifth out of 11 teams.
MEN'S WATER POLO
Harvard junior Egen Atkinson ('Iolani '06 of Honolulu) scored two goals in Thursday's 19-13 win at Connecticut College. The Crimson finished with a 4-11 regular-season record, 3-4 in the Northern Division. Harvard will be the fourth or fifth seed at next week's Northern Division Championships.
BOXING
Navy senior Antone Aku (Campbell '05 of 'Ewa Beach) defeated Army's Terrell Anthony in a 145-pound bout at Friday's Service Academy Classic in Detroit. The bout was a rematch of last spring's National Collegiate Boxing Association title fight at 139 pounds. Air Force junior Bailey Ball (Lahainaluna '06) defeated Army's Johnnie Garcia at 149 pounds.
Advertiser Staff Writer Stanley Lee contributed to this report. Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser .com or 535-2404.
SEND US PHOTOS
If you know of any athletes deserving recognition, give us their names, high schools and graduation years, colleges and sports. Photos are also welcome. E-mail us at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com or contact Kalani Takase at 535-2404.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.
