Wednesday, October 31, 2001
[ WAHINE SOCCER ]
Veronica Flores, Carmel Hurley, Erin Schremser and Jennifer Starsiak end their home careers with the Hawaii Wahine soccer team this week. Seniors’ historic run
about to endBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comThe trip to the 1999 Western Athletic Conference postseason tournament stands out as the career highlight, one they all would like to repeat next week.
Hawaii is currently in a four-way tie for the remaining three tournament openings. The Wahine (3-3 WAC, 6-9 overall) can clinch a tournament berth with a win over the Spartans (3-4, 5-11) tomorrow night.
Starsiak, Schremser and Flores were freshmen when the Wahine had their first winning season in 1998, the year Hurley redshirted when her son Kaniala was born.
The following season they were instrumental in UH making its first and only WAC tournament appearance. Last year they lived through a very disappointing 5-12-3 campaign.
"Overall, good or bad, it's been an experience to learn from. I try not to dwell on the bad things. If anything, I've learned from then and grown as a person," Schremser said.
"I think Hawaii was a pretty good choice," said Veronica Flores. "I could have stayed on the mainland, but getting away and being on your own means a lot. You don't have to count on your parents, you're more responsible and soccer has done all that for me."
"Being on the first team to go to the WAC and the difference in the field quality since I first came shows how much the program has progressed," said Starsiak.
Schremser has developed into the leader on defense, reminding teammates of their assignments and helping the Wahine out of trouble with booming, clearing kicks.
Hurley, a psychology major who will graduate in May, usually marks the fastest opposing striker. When the opportunity arises, she creates havoc with daring signature runs deep into opposing territory.
Starsiak and Flores have been fixtures on the forward line and presently are atop the career points list with 43 and 40. Starsiak has the most career goals with 17, while Flores leads the shot chart with 119.
Hawaii vs. San Jose State and Fresno State GAMEDAY
When: Tomorrow, 7 p.m. and Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium
TV/radio: None
Admission: Free
Series record: SJSU lead, 4-1-1; FSU leads 3-1-1
Last meeting: The Wahine and Spartans tied, 1-1, Sept. 28, 2000. The Bulldogs beat UH, 4-1, Oct. 1, 2000.
Top scorers: UH -- Arlene Devitt, 8. SJSU -- Marie McCann, 6; Angela Tafolla, 4.
Schremser is majoring in elementary education and would like to teach third or fourth grade. Flores is majoring in communications, but hasn't decided whether to go into sports broadcasting or public relations. Both graduate in 2003.
Starsiak, an English major, will graduate in May. She worked with inner-city children in the Boston area last summer and is pretty sure she will be doing something with kids.
"Growing up in Massachusetts, I thought people were crazy to come just to see the fall foliage. Now I can't wait to get back and see fall foliage next year," said Starsiak.
"But, before I came to Hawaii, I'd never been to the West Coast. Now I've seen more states in the West than I have in the East."
"I don't think I'll ever have a team with as much of a motley crew as we have here, the variety, the personalities, the different places the people are from," Schremser said. "I'll remember hanging out with this team, the get-togethers we've had and the fun we have on the road."
There have been other negatives such as the injuries, the "domestics," as Schremser calls the team's occasional personality conflicts, and the physical fitness test Flores struggled with each fall, but they all look at the total experience as positive.
"Because you have to deal with those hardships, it makes you that much stronger," said Flores, the top goal scorer as a sophomore, but now more involved in creating scoring opportunities.
"As long as I'm involved, helping to create and we get the win, I'm fine."
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
