Kai finds success
with U-21 U.S.
soccer teamThe UH sophomore also found
the back of the net often during
the soccer team's trip to China
Natasha Kai's first international soccer venture with the United States Women's Under-21 team started with a five-hour flight to San Francisco to join up with her teammates, then continued with a 13-hour non-stop flight to Shanghai, China.
She did not know what to expect on her initial visit to a foreign land, but after arriving at night and settling in at the team hotel, she began to get a feel for China the next morning.
"We woke up at 5 a.m. There was so much noise outside," Kai said. "We had breakfast, then went outside. It was crazy with people. There were bikes and people everywhere. It was like you see on TV."
The emotion of the exhibition tour caught up with Kai at the first match against Shanghai SVA, March 21, three days after landing.
"I was tripping out. It finally hit me that I was playing in China for the United States," Kai said. "It was unbelievable to step on that field in our USA uniforms, hear our national anthem and listen to them announce our names. It was an experience of a lifetime."
It was also an experience finding food to eat. The U.S. team physician told the players not to drink the water and not to eat fruits and vegetables because they were washed in the same water.
"I expected it to be Americanized Chinese food, but it was China Chinese food. You didn't know what you were eating until someone told you," Kai said. "We couldn't eat meat or chicken. Basically, we ate rice and noodles and bread. We all looked forward to coming back home and getting plane food."
The team drank bottled water and Gatorade they brought with them, but they didn't use ice, so everything was warm.
Kai, not feeling well due to a reaction to some food, only played 60 minutes in that first match, but scored the first U.S. goal on the trip at the three-minute mark.
"It was a small field and I talked to our goalkeeper (Jenni Branam), told her to punt the ball long because we would score," Kai said. "Her first kick went to their keeper, but there was a bad pass, a loose ball and I got it and placed it in the net."
The Hawaii Rainbow Wahine sophomore also scored the first goal in the second U.S. match, this time against the Chinese National Youth Team. She played the first 73 minutes in this match.
"I overlapped with Kelly Wilson, our outside left, as she cut in. She gave me the pass and I dribbled around the goalkeeper and had an empty net," Kai said.
The third match, this past Sunday, was against China's National Women's Team, and Kai was both scared and pumped for this encounter.
"You come with your game and think you are the best in the world," Kai said. "We came into the game with our heads straight. We didn't travel that far to get pushed around. We had all the confidence in the world. Even thought we had nothing to lose, we didn't want to lose. We just played our game and good things came out of that."
The 2-0 win before a sellout crowd at Jiangsu Huaian Sports Stadium concluded a successful trip for the U-21s.
Kai, who played 89 minutes, assisted on the first goal by Carly Lloyd and scored the second goal off a Lloyd assist.
Kai chased down a loose ball behind the defense, dribbled inside the 18-yard line and, when picked up by a defender, square-passed to Lloyd.
"Carly is a really good player and she just first-time cracked it in," Kai said.
Lloyd returned the favor less than two minutes later when she served Kai a through ball.
"I just dribbled a couple of times, then nailed it with my left foot inside the far post," said Kai, who played in the middle of coach Chris Petrucelli's three-striker attack.
Kai is the target player for all free kicks and corner kicks because of her jumping and heading ability. The Kahuku High School graduate pointed out that, if she is not open, there are nine other players on the field that can do plenty of damage.
"We're so used to playing with each other. We know what each other is going to do," she said. "This is a fun bunch of girls. We have a good relationship on and off the field. There is nothing better than that. Every team needs that. It makes for a better team."
Kai was invited to the next training camp in Carson, Calif., that starts April 16. The U-21s will have matches against the U.S. and Mexico Olympic teams.
Petrucelli told Kai this was her most important camp.
"If I do good, I might get an invite to play on the Olympic team," Kai said.
She also would like to make the trip to Brazil in late May and, if there is no Olympic invitation, be a member of the U.S. team that defends its Nordic Cup title in July.
Kai hopes her experience will open the door for more soccer players from Hawaii.
"There is just too much talent here to waste," she said.
To occupy their free time in China, the players did a lot of shopping and sightseeing at several historical sites.
"Most of the stuff they sell there is American. I bought some shoes and bags and I bought my roommates some really nice scrolls with Chinese writing on them," Kai said.
