With seven players from Hawai'i on her 11-member Pacific University (Ore.) women's tennis team, Boxers coach Sandy Garry is well-accustomed to most things Hawaiian. She should be — after all, it is "practically an all-Hawaiian team," Garry joked.

The private, liberal arts university of about 3,200 students is located 23 miles west of Portland in the town of Forest Grove. Garry said students from Hawai'i "make up a third of the campus."

The seven Hawai'i players on the tennis team include four freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors.

"Being that students from Hawai'i are a large percentage of our student body, I would think that except for our weather, they should feel right at home," Garry said.

It hasn't taken long for the freshmen to settle in. Cat Goya, a St. Andrew's Priory graduate, plays at No. 1 singles and Megan Yoshimoto, a Mililani graduate, is in the No. 2 spot. They also are the Boxers' No. 1 doubles team.

"The addition of those two freshmen have made a huge difference," Garry said. "I knew Megan would (make an immediate impact), but Cat was kind of an unknown ... I didn't know how good Cat was; she was a good surprise."

Goya has gone 7-5 this season while Yoshimoto is 8-4. They are 7-5 in doubles.

"Either one of them would be fine and do well at No. 1 (singles)," Garry said. "They seem comfortable with where they're at and it's working well. They work together well as a doubles team, as well."

Pacific's No. 2 doubles team is made up of juniors Dayna Wong, a 2006 Waiakea graduate, and Jaime Yoshino, a 2006 Kaiser graduate. They have compiled a 7-5 record.

"This is their third year together and they've always been really, really solid," Garry said. "They were just never that comfortable at No. 1 doubles, but at No. 2, they're much more solid and more comfortable playing there."

The lone sophomore is Stephanie Velligas, a 2007 Kamehameha graduate.

"She's probably the one who has improved the most," Garry said. "Between last fall and January, she has made huge strides. She's so much stronger."

Velligas has a 7-4 record, mostly at No. 6 singles, where she's 6-2. Velligas and freshman Dawn Greene, a Mid-Pacific graduate, make up the third doubles team.

The fourth freshman is Kapolei graduate Traci Mo.

"This is my fourth year. My second year Dayna and Jaime just happened to enroll here and slowly over the years, it's just gotten stronger and stronger," said Garry, noting Pacific is a Division III school and therefore does not offer athletic scholarships. "I think a big part of why they do come here is because of Pacific's education and what it has to offer."

Garry is hoping the Boxers' new tennis facility will be completed by the end of the season.

"Right now, we use a nice facility about 20 minutes away in Beaverton, but it'll be nice to have our own place," Garry said.

Pacific is currently 6-6 in the Northwest Conference and hosts Willamette Friday and Linfield Saturday. The NWC Championships will be April 17 and 18 in Yakima, Wash.

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