Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Friday, October 27, 2000
Malia Beter, Demarre San-chez, Dawn Dasher, Megan Lytle, Leila Wai and Lea Wakabayashi were all part of the 1997 freshman recruiting class. Eight seniors hope to
go out on a winning footBy Al Chase
Star-BulletinCamille Kalama, after not playing her freshman season, came aboard a year later. Nicole Costa arrived in 1998 after an All-American career at Ohlone Junior College in California.
Those eight seniors will play their final soccer match for the University of Hawaii Sunday against Hawaii Pacific University at 7 p.m. at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
They enter their finale carrying a five-match winless burden, but want to go out winners.Seven of the eight were instrumental in UH's first winning season as sophomores and, a year ago, in its best season ever, which ended in a triple-overtime loss in the WAC tournament.
And they leave having lived through the most frustrating campaign in Wahine history.
Lytle, playing at left wing and left and center midfield, has appeared in all 77 matches, starting 76. She holds records for season (6) and career (13) assists.
The three-year Academic All-WAC selection and 1999 National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-West Region scholar-athlete, wants to be a politician.
Beter didn't think she would play soccer after high school. She was kind of burnt out.
"Then (UH coach Tenzing) Pinsoom asked me if I wanted to play. It's been a hard four years because of the transition to Division I. I didn't think I'd make it this far," said Beter, broadcast journalism major.
Primarily a wing player, Beter often has had the responsibility of marking the top opponent. She also has three career goals and three assists.
Dasher was the first Wahine to win WAC Player of the Week honors back in 1998. She has played at striker or offensive midfielder and is fourth in career assists (8), sixth in goals scored (8) and seventh in points (34).
"The highlight was making it to the WAC tournament. I would like to have seen us do better this year, but we can't dwell on it," the education major said.
Sanchez, a co-captain this year, holds every significant goalkeeping record at UH. She has been an all-tournament pick four times and was a first-team All-WAC selection in 1999. Twice in her career, she broke the WAC single-match save mark.
Wai, an outside defender, is a two-year co-captain, and a three-time Academic All-WAC and WAC Scholar-Athlete selection.
"I've learned a lot from all the ups and downs I've encountered It's made me a stronger and wiser person," said Wai, a print journalism major.
Kalama has been a steadying force playing as a center defender or a deep center midfielder with license to join offensive counterattacks. The two-year co-captain, a two-time Academic All-WAC pick and 1999 NSCAA Scholar-Athlete, has three goals and two assists in her career.
Wakabayashi, a quick and fearless striker and fan favorite, scored her first career goal against Cal State Fullerton. The future civil engineer, who walked on, is a two-time WAC scholar-athlete and a 1999 Academic All-WAC selection.
"It's been interesting, fun, a lot of hard work, a good experience," Wakabayashi said.
Costa spent two years trying to overcome an injured left knee. "At first I was upset and discouraged, but it wouldn't have been fair to the team," said Costa, who played in 12 matches in two seasons. She is majoring in marketing and wants to be a buyer.
Carmel Hurley, a member of the 1997 class, redshirted and will be a senior in next season.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
