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Hawaii Beat


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POSTED: Sunday, May 10, 2009

25 apply for volleyball job

The Hawaii men's volleyball head coaching vacancy drew 25 applicants, UH sports information director Derek Inouchi said yesterday.

The six-member committee met last Thursday and meets again this Thursday. The top candidates for the position left open by the retiring Mike Wilton will be interviewed by teleconference and, if needed, there will be a second round of interviews.

The front-runners appear to be UH associate coach Tino Reyes; ex-Wahine associate coach Charlie Wade, current Pacific women's coach; Pepperdine men's assistant Scott Wong; Wahine assistant Mike Sealy; UH All-American Mark Presho, an assistant for NCAA men's champion UC Irvine; and UH All-American Allen Allen.

 

Asuka helps UCI to title

Brent Asuka ('Iolani '05) finished his UC Irvine volleyball career last night win a second NCAA title, as the top-ranked Anteaters rallied past USC 26-30, 30-23, 26-30, 30-17, 15-12 in Provo, Utah.

Asuka had seven digs for UCI (27-5). USC sophomore setter Riley McKibbin (Punahou '07) had 71 assists and 13 digs in being named to the all-tournament team; sophomore hitter Tri Bourne (AOP '07) added 12 kills for the Trojans (21-11).

 

Kono second in golf

Freshman Stephanie Kono (Punahou '08) finished second to UCLA teammate Maria Jose Uribe by a stroke at the NCAA regional women's golf tournament yesterday in Columbus, Ohio.

Kono had three straight birdies on the back nine en route to a 74—213. UCLA won the team title to reach the NCAA championship.

 

McNamara at QB Club

Hawaii associate athletic director John McNamara headlines the program for tomorrow's Honolulu Quarterback Club weekly meeting at the Pagoda Hotel.

Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m.

 

2 qualify for U.S. Open

Californians Jim Seki and Kamden Brakel carded 67s to top the field at yesterday's U.S. Open qualifier at the Turtle Bay Resort's Fazio Course.

The two earned spots in next month's tournament in Farmingdale, N.Y. Honolulu's Bradley Shigezawa (69) is the first alternate and Ewa Beach's Ryan Perez (70) the second alternate.

 

Wie drops into tie for 28th

Honolulu's Michelle Wie fired a 2-over 73 yesterday to drop into a tie for 28th, some 12 shots off the pace of third-round leaders Lindsey Wright and Cristie Kerr. Wie's 54-hole total is 3-under 210 at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill in Williamsburg, Va.

After opening with one eagle, 11 birdies and eight bogeys over her first 36 holes, Wie played a steadier round that produced two bogeys and 16 pars. Through 54 holes, the Punahou School graduate has hit 26 fairways and 39 greens in regulation, needed 89 putts and is averaging 266.67 yards off the tee.

World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, who had a string of six consecutive rounds in the lead, dropped into a tie for fifth with an uncharacteristic 3-over 74 for a three-day total of 203, five shots off the pace. Wright fashioned a 64 and Kerr a 69 to drop to 15 under and a share of the lead.

 

PACWEST PLACE

HPU to region softball final

Hawaii Pacific rode homers by Maile Kim and Krystal Plunkett past UC San Diego 4-3 and into today's NCAA Division II West 2 Regional softball final in St. George, Utah.

HPU (42-11) will face host Dixie State for the chance to advance to the Super 8 regional. The Sea Warriors were shut out by the Red Storm 5-0 earlier yesterday to drop into the elimination bracket.

In the loser-out game against the Tritons, Kim's two-out, two-run homer to left in the top of the first gave the Sea Warriors an early lead. UCSD tied it in the bottom of the inning, then went ahead 3-2 on Allison May's two-out RBI single to shallow right.

In the sixth, Casey Sugihara reached on an error and Plunkett followed with a blast to right to put HPU ahead for good. Sea Warriors starter Sherise Musqiz (21-4) retired the final six UCSD batters to earn the win.

 

HPU drops baseball semi

Grand Canyon pounded out 18 hits off five Hawaii Pacific pitchers in knocking off the Sea Warriors 16-6 in yesterday's semifinal of the PacWest-Puerto Rico Little World Series in St. George, Utah.

Aaron Asher drove in four runs, two on his fifth-inning home run, for HPU (30-19).

 

HPU tennis team to NCAAs

The Hawaii Pacific women's tennis team will join its men's team at the NCAA Division II national championships, courtesy of yesterday's 5-3 victory over host UC San Diego.

The Sea Warriors (16-7) face Montana State-Billings on Wednesday in Altamonte Springs, Fla.