Thursday, October 11, 2001
[ WAHINE SOCCER ]
Pinsoom Tenzing said he has the personnel to win the Western Athletic Conference women's soccer title. He still feels that way even after injuries started nibbling away at Hawaii's depth. Tenzing says Wahine
can win WAC crownBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comUH returns to the road this weekend to open WAC play at Tulsa tomorrow and at Rice on Sunday.
The Wahine then play their final nonconference match Monday against Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Midfielder Kalena Eaton is still hobbling with a slight MCL tear on her right knee, which she suffered in the Cal State Northridge match, and won't make the trip.
Midfielder Tiffany Makue had an operation to insert a screw in her right wrist which she broke on the last road trip. She will make the trip and is expected to play.
Carmel Hurley, a defender, still plays on a tender right ankle that was kicked in the Cal State Sacramento match. Fellow defender Liz Lusk still isn't 100 percent after ACL surgery last spring.
All make significant contributions to team success when healthy.
"We experimented the last three games (road losses), saw a lot of kids play a lot of different places," said Tenzing.
"Our team is so well balanced and has depth. That's why I'm not concerned that much. When I factored everything in, I'm not feeling too bad about last weekend."
The Wahine lost a tough 4-3 match at Tulsa last year. Rice is a first-year team that split two WAC matches on the road last weekend.
Hawaii finished seventh in an eight-team WAC last year with basically the same team that tied for second in 1999 and made UH's only appearance in the league's postseason tournament. There are nine teams this year, with the top six qualifying for the tournament.
If the first week is an indication, the season could be full of surprises. Texas-El Paso took a 5-1 lead over Boise State, then held on for a 5-4 win. Southern Methodist almost blew a 3-0 lead at Boise State, winning, 3-2, then avoided the same fate at Nevada with a 3-2 win despite two late Wolf Pack goals by Ka'ulawena Rowe (Kamehameha).
Tulsa, Fresno State, San Jose State and Rice all split two weekend matches.
Notes: Goalkeeper Nichole Yoshimura, a junior college walk-on from Sierra College, will redshirt this year.
Here's a capsule look at UH's conference opponents in the order they play the Wahine.
Tulsa (6-4-2, 1-1-0)
Coach: Damon Gore, third year.
2000 WAC record: 5-2-0.
Players to watch: Julie Twellman, Melissa McComick, Marcie Ferguson, Emily Trost, Beth Taruscio, Abby Fahrig.
Outlook: The Golden Hurricanes would like nothing less than a repeat of last season when they tied for second and reached the WAC championship match. Five of Tulsa's top seven goal scorers return, led by Twellman. Recruits include Fahrig, a freshman who beat out two returnees for the starting goalkeeper's job and has four shutouts.
Rice (2-5-0, 1-1-0)
Coach: Chris Huston, first year.
2000 WAC record: First year.
Players to watch: Ashley Anderson, Sarah Yoder, Amanda Garrison, Kristen Lindsay, Jennifer Teeter.
Outlook: The Owls begin their initial season of soccer competition with four upperclassmen and 14 freshman. There will be a lot of on-the-job training. Rice got its first WAC win on the road at San Jose State. Coach Huston had success starting Houston's program with two winning seasons before moving to Rice.
Texas-El Paso (3-5-2, 1-0-1)
Coach: Kevin Cross, first year.
2000 WAC record: 3-4-0.
Players to watch: Holly Cohen, Kelly Parker, Stacy Bekkering and Kate Stevens.
Outlook: The Miners went to the WAC tournament for the second time in three seasons last year. Coach Cross will have a young but experienced team hopeful of improving on its overall 8-12 record. Top scorer Kelly Parker returns to lead a cast that scored 40 goals a year ago, third best in the conference. If the defense tightens up, the Miners will be tough.
Southern Methodist (7-3-0, 2-0-0)
Coach: George Van Linder, third year.
2000 WAC record: 6-0-1.
Players to watch: Sarah Harvey, Lorrie Tipton, Kim Harvey, Misty Nolan, Tara Comfort.
Outlook: The Lady Mustangs have finished either first or second every year since entering the WAC. They have set the standard for consistency, and this year will be no different. Their three losses were to Top 25 teams on the road, but all seven victories are by one goal. The SMU defense isn't as stingy, yet, as it was in 2000 when it gave up just two goals in seven WAC matches.
Boise State (4-5-1, 0-2)
Coach: Steve Lucas, second year.
2000 WAC record: First year.
Players to watch: Kaziah Hill, Megan McCoy, Christy Messenger, Abby Bernards, Tara Milligan.
Outlook: The Broncos have their most experienced team in the four-year history of the program with 10 starters and 16 letter-winners returning. All four wins have come at home.
Nevada (0-10-1, 0-1-1)
Coach: Dang Pibulvech, second year.
2000 WAC record: 0-7-0.
Players to watch: Ka'ulawena Rowe, Leisha Makinano, Natalie Allen, Jacque Kocer.
Outlook: The Wolf Pack are still hunting for that elusive first WAC victory in their second season of conference play. They have been dominated in most matches, being outshot 231-79, which makes generating sustained offense very difficult. It could be another long season for coach Pibulvech, who previously built programs at Colorado College, Washington and Texas.
San Jose State (3-7-0, 1-1-0)
Coach: Tamie Grimes, second year.
2000 WAC record: 3-3-1.
Players to watch: Kristina Jacob, Eryn Meyer, Jessica Hernandez, Jeane Sunseri.
Outlook: Picked to finish second in the coaches preseason poll, the Spartans have struggled, especially on defense where they allow 3.2 goals per game. However, they opened WAC play by blanking Tulsa 2-0. SJSU also lost its top three scorers from a year ago. With five starters and 10 letter winners back, the Spartans could be a team that finishes strong once the newcomers adapt to Coach Grimes' system.
Fresno State (4-5-0, 1-1-0)
Coach: Stacy Welp, first year.
2000 WAC record: 3-4-0.
Players to watch: Aimee Thompson, Erin Sayegusa, Reyna Green, Mary-tyler Wahl, Angela Tafolla.
Outlook: Two of the top three scorers who combined for 21 goals are gone, one reason the Bulldogs have scored just four times in the last seven matches. Fortunately, the defense has been solid, led by Wahl, the sophomore goalkeeper. FSU is always a tough match for the Wahine.
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