WAHINE SOCCER PLAYBOOK
@ Fresno State
Kickoff: Tomorrow, 2 p.m., Bulldog Stadium, Fresno, Calif.
Coaches: Hawaii, Pinsoom Tenzing, 7th season (44-66-8, .408); Fresno St., Peter Reynaud, 7th season.(82-56-9, .588).
Season records: Hawaii (2-7-2 overall, 0-0-1 Western Athletic Conference); Fresno State (7-3-0 overall, 1-0-0 WAC).
Series record: Fresno State leads the series, 2-1-1. The Bulldogs won last year's match in Fresno, 3-0.
Top players: Hawaii, Veronica Flores, junior striker, who adds energy and spark to the Wahine attack. She can navigate with the ball in heavy traffic and is effective when she realizes it's time to pass or take the shot. Demarre Sanchez, who's presence in the goal is comforting to her teammates and who's vocal leadership of the defense is a must for a team that doesn't always communicate that well ... Fresno State, Jill Pearson, senior striker who has scored 12 goals and assisted on five others in 10 matches. Mary-tyler Wahl, who has posted four consecutive shutout victories and has a 0.59 goals allowed average.
Match keys: UH head coach Pinsoom Tenzing was happy with the 1-1 tie against San Jose State. He felt the Wahine contained the top Spartan players. Fresno State has several outstanding players that have to be contained. The Wahine will have to do this on a football field that is much narrower than the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium field. Last year, according to several Wahine, the Bulldog Stadium field was chewed up and the football markings, including red end zones which include the goal area, caused confusion. The Wahine will have to adapt to the environment ... A win or even a tie would be big for the Wahine against the 1999 WAC regular-season champions.
Interesting facts: Doreen Fukushima, a UH senior who played at Mid-Pacific Institute, has joined the team as backup goalkeeper ... Fresno State played at No. 5 UCLA last night ... Erin Sayegusa, a midfielder/striker from Kaiser High, is the only non-California player on the FSU roster.
By Al Chase, Star-Bulletin
