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Just For Kicks

By Al Chase

Thursday, September 21, 2000

Sandhoff has started
strong in senior year

KIM Sandhoff is enjoying a productive senior season with the East Carolina University women's soccer team.

The 5-foot-6 striker has tallied at least one point in the Pirates' first seven matches.

She scored a goal in the 89th minute to beat North Carolina State, 1-0.

Scored unassisted in a 4-1 loss to Wake Forest.

Scored at 1:39, then assisted on the last two goals in a 4-2 victory over Elon.

Assisted on the goal in a 2-1 loss to Washington State.

Assisted on the goal in a 1-0 win over Maryland-Baltimore.

Assisted on all three goals in a 3-1 win over Campbell.

Scored the second goal in a 2-2 tie with Hofstra.

"After I scored in the first three games, coach said I was on everyone's scouting report so I better give up the ball," said Sandhoff.

"Assisting, I love that. I don't know why, it just gives me a good feeling. It's a good deal."

Her seven assists so far this season ties the school record she set in 1999. The three assists against Campbell tied the single-game school record.

In 1998, Sandhoff set the single-season ECU scoring record with 10 goals.

Her career totals to date are 26 goals and 20 assists.

"She has the best skill level I've ever had," said ECU head coach Rob Donnenwirth. "She is very dangerous on set plays."

"I don't think I'm goal orientated. I just go out and get the job done," Sandhoff said.

Another job is serving as co-captain with Charity McClure, her roommate.

"With eight new starters, Kim has a lot of responsibility as captain," Donnenwirth said. "She is in charge of the team covenant-a mission statement for the team."

As a senior, Sandhoff helped the Pearl City High School Chargers win the 1997 state championship. She was the Oahu Interscholastic Association West Player-of-the-Year.

Accolades have continued at East Carolina, where she has been an All-Colonial Athletic Conference second-team selection three consecutive years.

SANDHOFF looked at other schools, but they were only interested if she walked on.

ECU, located in Greenville, N.C., was the only school to recruit her. That was because former head coach Neil Roberts had a good memory.

Although Sandhoff played four years for Pearl City, she lived in North Carolina during the fourth quarter of her sophomore year.

"I played soccer there and the coach saw me. I came back to Hawaii and my senior year he gave me a call and asked if I wanted to come visit. I said 'sure'," Sandhoff said.

She received an athletic scholarship, which made the school choice easier, but, as might be expected, there were adjustments to make.

"At first, everyone makes fun of the way you talk. I'd be in class and even the professors had an accent," Sandhoff said.

"That was very hard. I couldn't understand what they were saying. I don't think I realized that some of the words I used, they didn't know what they meant, either."

This past summer she played for the Raleigh Wings in the Women's Professional League.

"They were so good. It was a very good experience," said Sandhoff. "I understood what it took to be at the next level and I understood what it felt like to sit on the bench a little bit.

"This was the first summer I didn't go home and I was hurting for some (local) food."

An exercise physiology major, Sandhoff will graduate in May. She wants to go to graduate school, most likely on the West Coast because it's closer to home.

That's if she doesn't take time to travel abroad first.