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Hawaii Beat


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POSTED: Thursday, March 19, 2009

Tuaniga named to prep Fab 50 list

Kristiana Tuaniga, an incoming freshman for the Hawaii volleyball team, has been named to the Sports Imports/Volleyball magazine Girls Fab 50 list honoring the best high school seniors.

Tuaniga is a 6-foot-2 middle blocker at Carson (Calif.) High. She averaged 4.30 kills and 3.0 blocks per set as a senior, hitting .657.

The Rainbow Wahine host Nebraska tonight in a spring exhibition match at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Huskers have signed four players who were named to the Fab 50: libero Megan Pendergast, outside hitters Gina Mancuso and Hanna Werth, and middle Hayley Thramer. Pendergast graduated a semester early and is with Nebraska this week.

UH sixth at Thompson Invitational

The Hawaii women's golf team shot a final-round 306 yesterday to finish sixth in the 24th Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational at the Kaneohe Klipper Course.

Corie Hou carded a 73 and tied for fourth place with a three-day total of 5-over-par 221. UH closed the tournament with a team total of 923.

Texas A&M won the team title with a score of 907. Idaho's Kayla Mortelllaro won the individual title at 3-over 219.

UH tennis team wins fourth straight

The Hawaii tennis team shutout Wyoming 7-0 yesterday at the UH Tennis Complex to extend its winning streak to four straight matches.

The Rainbow Wahine (6-5) won the doubles point and swept through the singles matches against the shorthanded Cowgirls (5-6), who had just five players. Sophie Kobuch teammed with Anja-Vanessa Peter for an 8-3 doubles win then won her match at No. 1 singles 7-5, 6-3 over Sarah Summerfield.

Grand Canyon shuts out Hawaii-Hilo

Grand Canyon pitcher Damion Swisher tossed a one-hitter in a 9-0 win over Hawaii-Hilo yesterday in the completion of a suspended basesball game.

The second game of Tuesday's doubleheader was suspended due to rain in the top of the second. Grand Canyon scored six runs, aided by four Vulcans errors in the inning. Swisher struck out six and walked five. Shane Kessel's double in the fifth was the Vulcans' lone hit.

Seasiders sweep Academy of Art

Katresha Veazie threw a four-hit shutout to lead the Brigham Young-Hawaii softball team to a 1-0 win over Academy of Art in the first game of a doubleheader yesterday in Laie.

The Seasiders won the second game 3-2, led by Tina Moen's two-run double in the fourth inning.

» Hawaii Pacific jumped six spots to No. 18 in this week's NFCA Division II Top 25 poll.The Sea Warriors went 4-0 last week to improve to 17-3 overall and 9-1 in the PacWest. HPU faces Hawaii-Hilo in a doubleheader tomorrow in Hilo.

Sensley changes teams in NBDL

Former Hawaii forward Julian Sensley was acquired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League yesterday, two days after being waived by the Colorado 14ers.

Sensley had been averaging 8.4 points and 3.0 rebounds and made six of 16 3-pointers in seven games off the bench for Colorado. Sensley is expected to make his debut with the Vipers tomorrow against Albuquerque.

“;Julian's an accomplished veteran and we're looking forward to adding him to our roster,”; Vipers head coach Clay Moser said in a release posted on the team's Web site.

Change to 'Hochuli rule' proposed

NEW YORK » The NFL will look into changing instant replay rules in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the blown call by referee Ed Hochuli that helped cost San Diego a game last season.

The competition committee will propose at the league meetings next week that when the ball comes loose when a quarterback is throwing, replay can be used to determine if it is a fumble or an incomplete pass. Such a change would resemble the rules alteration made for down-by-contact plays two years ago.

In the final minute of a game at Denver in Week 2, Hochuli ruled a ball that slipped from Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler's grasp was an incomplete pass instead of a fumble. The ball was recovered by the Chargers and Hochuli later acknowledged his decision was wrong.

Under league rules, the play was not reviewable. The competition committee believes it is an area that should fall under instant replay reviews.

Error costs U.S in loss to Venezuela

MIAMI » United States manager Davey Johnson was right to have reservations about playing Adam Dunn at first base.

The desperation defensive deployment backfired last night in the World Baseball Classic when Dunn made a wild throw that led to four unearned runs and Venezuela won Group 2 by beating the Americans 10-6 to conclude second-round play in Miami.

Both teams had already qualified for the semifinals this weekend in Los Angeles.

Venezuela will play the second-seeded team from Group 1 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, and the Americans will play in the other semifinal Sunday. The semifinalists from Group 1 in San Diego will be South Korea and Japan.