Wahine work out
without Kai

The Hawaii Rainbow Wahine began preparing for the 2004 season with the first of many two-a-day practices at the campus field yesterday under a hot morning sun interrupted by brief Manoa showers.

Following an endurance run on the track, the Wahine spent two hours on ball control and passing drills that culminated with a half-field exercise with players weaving and overlapping as they moved the ball for a shot on goal with no defense.

"Good enough," said hoarse head coach Pinsoom Tenzing of the first workout, which saw 32 players in camp.

One player not participating yesterday was Natasha Kai, the junior striker who was the NCAA Division I scoring leader last year with 29 goals. Kai was kicked on her left shin, which is still swollen, in the United State's Under-21 Women's National Team match against Germany in the Nordic Cup and is day-to-day, according to trainer Jayson Goo.

"I want to play. I can't handle just sitting out here," said Kai, who saw snow for the first time in Iceland for the Nordic Cup.

"My teammates really tried to find a way for me to touch snow, but we didn't have time," said Kai, who added, "This past summer was the first time I was totally dedicated to soccer."

Kai is excited about being named to the 25-player Hermann Award watch list.

"I never knew about the award before until Neal (Iwamoto, UH sports media relations) told me yesterday," she said.

Also on the disabled list is midfielder Kimi Tiampo, who had arthroscopic surgery on her right knee to remove a cyst and repair a partial tear of the meniscus. Her recovery time is in the four-to-six-week range.

Tiampo, a senior, is also the emergency goalkeeper behind senior Erin Chow and junior Mahie Atay.

Back for a final season of collegiate soccer is striker Robyn deHay, who had eight assists last year but returned to Stanford in the spring semester and graduated in June.

Since she had one year of eligibility left, she also took nine hours of courses at UH last spring via the Internet and independent study, although she had to fly back to Hawaii to take exams. Then to complete the NCAA-required 24 hours of course work within the year to remain eligible and not have to deal with the double-transfer rule, she took 15 more hours this summer.

DeHay will return to Stanford in the spring and get her master's degree in March.

Krisha Kai, a sophomore striker, is still not 100 percent after knee surgery last spring.

Tenzing plans to keep more players than normal this year because he loses 13 seniors after the 2004 season.

Tasha Hagan, a reserve striker last year, has transferred to South Dakota. She made the move after Justin, her husband who is in the military, was transferred to the area.

Athletic department officials thought about charging admission to Wahine matches at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park Stadium, but decided to keep the matches free. Charging admission was a consideration because admission will be charged when UH hosts the Western Athletic Conference postseason tourney Nov. 4-6.

Hawaii opens its season in the Ohana Hotels & Resorts No Ka Oi Tournament against St. Mary's on Aug. 27 and Pacific on Aug. 29.