Friday, September 14, 2001
[ WAHINE SOCCER ]
The Hawaii women's soccer team will begin its journey back to the islands today. Wahine soccer team
back tomorrowby Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comThe Wahine left this morning in four rented vans for the drive from Spokane, Wash., to Seattle. They will board Hawaiian Airlines flight 21 at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning. The flight is scheduled to arrive here at 11:35 a.m.
The team was at the Spokane airport early Tuesday when the United States airspace was closed due to the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. The Wahine returned to their hotel and were able to check back into their rooms to wait out the crisis.
Since then, the Wahine held two, two-hour practice sessions at Gonzaga on Wednesday and yesterday, which UH coach Pinsoom Tenzing described as being good.
The team also has had two-hour study halls each day. The Internet has helped the players keep up with class work that piled up while they were stranded.
"We've e-mailed our professors to find out what we need to do," said senior striker Jennifer Starsiak. "They've been real cool, telling us not to worry about school, just get home safely.
"The team has tried to stick together. ... The mood is good, but some of us are really apprehensive about flying. ... We just want to get home safely."
Eastern Illinois and Cal State Northridge are scheduled to come in next week for the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Invitational, Sept. 20, 22 and 24.
As for trying to make up the two matches that were lost when this week's tournament was canceled, UH coach Pinsoom Tenzing said, "We have one weekend open and I don't know if we can get anyone to come down and play."
That is the weekend of Oct. 4-6, which follows a UH road trip to Northern California and precedes the first Western Athletic Conference road trip Oct. 12 at Tulsa and Oct. 14 at Rice.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
