Posted on: Wednesday, October 31, 2007
HOMEGROWN REPORT
Yoro gives Azusa Pacific soccer a boost
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
Azusa Pacific University is widely known as the collegiate home to many track and field greats, including Hawai'i's own Bryan Clay. But the 105-acre campus 29 miles east of Los Angeles is home to another powerhouse.
The women's soccer team has won seven Golden State Athletic Conference championships, and clinched its third straight with a 3-0 win over Vanguard (Costa Mesa, Calif.) Saturday. The Cougars finished 14-1-1 in the regular season and 10-0 in conference play. Azusa Pacific, which competes in the NAIA, won its only national title in 1998 and has made five national semifinal appearances.
This season the Cougars have outscored opponents 47-7.
One of the main reasons for the Cougars' success has been the steady play of junior midfielder/forward Sarah Yoro (Mililani '05 of Mililani).
Yoro, who played at Oregon her freshman year, has started all 16 matches with eight goals and three assists. She is second on the team in points with 19. She had nine goals and five assists last season.
"She's an explosive weapon at times, a very dangerous attacker," said Cougars head coach Jason Surrell. "She's a big part of what we're doing and part of our success. She's already had a great year this year."
Senior forward Mari Kasamoto ('Iolani '03 of Honolulu) returned for her fifth year after being awarded a medical redshirt due to a season-ending injury in the second game of last season.
"She brings a level of confidence and experience," Surrell said. "She may not play a ton of minutes, but she does a lot to help the new players and bring everyone up to par."
Kasamoto has one assist and two goals, including one Saturday against Vanguard.
Azusa Pacific hosts Westmont (Santa Barbara, Calif.) today in the first round of the NAIA Regionals. The Cougars have home-field advantage throughout regionals with the semifinals Friday and regional final Tuesday. The NAIA Championships are Nov. 14 to 20 at Daytona Beach, Fla.
MORE WOMEN'S SOCCER
Loyola Marymount (Los Angeles) freshman midfielder/forward Nickey Ha ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) scored the first goal in a 3-0 win over San Francisco Sunday. Her goal came in the 46th minute after she collected the rebound off an attempted goalie save.
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) junior midfielder Kelli Ganiko (King Kekaulike '05 of Makawao) scored a goal in the 40th minute of a 2-1 overtime loss to Linfield (McMinnville, Ore.) last Wednesday. Freshman forward Ashley Kanda (Castle '07 of Kane'ohe) had the Boxers' only goal in a 5-1 loss at George Fox (Newberg, Ore.) Sunday.
Freshman midfielder/defender Nicole Akiu (Kamehameha '07 of Honolulu) assisted on a goal for George Fox.
Duke senior goalkeeper Allison Lipsher (Punahou '04 of Hawai'i Kai) made five saves in a 1-1 tie against Florida State Sunday. The Blue Devils (10-4-3 overall, 5-2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) host Miami tomorrow before wrapping up the regular season at Clemson Saturday.
FOOTBALL
Colorado senior linebacker Jordon Dizon (Waimea '04) had a 42-yard interception return for touchdown in a 31-26 victory over Texas Tech Saturday. Dizon had a game-high 8 1/2 tackles and two quarterback hurries. Dizon is fourth in the nation with 12.22 tackles per game and first in solo tackles at 8.44 per game.
Colorado special teams captain R.J. Brown (Punahou '04 of Honolulu), who has not played since suffering a concussion — his sixth of his collegiate career — against Florida State in the third game of the season, has been ruled out for the season by coach Dan Hawkins. Hawkins said doctors have not yet determined whether Brown will be cleared for spring drills or if his football career has ended.
Navy junior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (Kapolei '04 of Kapolei) scored on a 2-yard run and a 1-yard run, both in the first quarter of a 59-52 loss to Delaware Saturday. He finished with 20 carries for 76 yards.
Claremont Mudd Scripps (Claremont, Calif.) sophomore wide receiver Travis Nishioka ('Iolani '06 of Honolulu) caught touchdown passes of 9 and 51 yards in a 50-21 win over Whittier (Calif.) Saturday. Nishioka finished with six receptions for 139 yards, both game highs. Sophomore linebacker Landon Patoc ('Iolani '06 of Honolulu) had a team-high seven tackles and an interception.
Weber State (Ogden, Utah) freshman quarterback Cameron Higgins (Saint Louis '06 of Honolulu) was named Big Sky Conference co-Offensive Player of the Week for a seven-touchdown effort in a 73-68 win over Portland State Saturday. Higgins threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 106 yards and three scores. Junior wide receiver Akamu Aki (Baldwin '03 of Wailuku) caught two passes for 24 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown pass from Higgins.
Menlo (Atherton, Calif.) senior linebacker Asti Merino (Kamehameha '04 of Honolulu) had 16 tackles, one for loss, and a quarterback hurry in a 37-6 loss to Linfield Saturday. Freshman defensive back Halen Tanimoto (Kamehameha-Hawai'i '07 of Hilo) had four tackles and sophomore defensive lineman Scott Haneberg (Punahou '05 of Kane'ohe) added three tackles. Freshman Kainoa Lemke (Kaua'i '07) punted nine times for a 35.2-yard average.
Sophomore defensive tackle Ian Estrada (Kamehameha '05 of Kailua) had two tackles, including a sack, for the Wildcats. Senior wide receiver Josh Vierra (Kamehameha '03 of Hau'ula) caught five passes for 75 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown. Senior Stan Fisher (Punahou '03 of Kailua) had three punts for a 39-yard average.
Chapman (Orange, Calif.) junior defensive back Chris Shiramizu (Punahou '04 of Kaimuki) had two interceptions, five tackles and two passes defended in a 28-14 win over Pomona Pitzer (Claremont, Calif.) Saturday. Sophomore running back Kaleo Perez (Kamehameha '06 of Lihu'e) scored on a 42-yard run.
CROSS COUNTRY
California senior Pippa Macdonald (Punahou '03 of Kailua) finished 63rd at the Pac-10 Championship Saturday in Corvallis, Ore. She completed the 6K course in 22 minutes, 36 seconds.
Pacific University senior Caitlyn Tateishi (Waiakea '03 of Pahoa) ran a personal best 23:29.37 at the 6K Northwest Conference Championships Saturday in Brooks, Ore. Tateishi, whose time was the fourth fastest in Boxers' history, finished 37th and the Pacific women finished ninth. Junior Shawn Leon Guerrero (Kaiser '02 of Hawai'i Kai) finished 68th (30:19.59), sophomore Casey Nishimura (Mid-Pacific '06 of Hawai'i Kai) was 69th (30:37.54) and sophomore David Maile (Kamehameha '06 of Kaimuki) was 74th (34:08.58) to help the Pacific men finish ninth.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
San Jose State freshman outside hitter Brianna Amian (Moanalua '07 of Honolulu) had 12 kills, four digs and was in on five blocks in a five-game win over Idaho Saturday. Junior libero Kristal Tsukano (Kamehameha '05 of Honolulu) added 30 digs.
Junior defensive specialist Kerry Yamamoto ('Iolani '04 of Kane'ohe) had three digs for Idaho.
Nevada freshman outside hitter Kylie Harrington (St. Francis '07 of Honolulu) had six kills and four digs in a three-game sweep of Boise State Saturday. Harrington had 10 kills and three digs in Thursday's sweep of Idaho.
Utah State senior outside hitter Monarisa Ale (Kahuku '04 of Kahuku) had seven kills, eight digs and was in on four blocks in a four-game win over Fresno State Saturday.
St. Mary's (Moraga, Calif.) freshman setter Kapua Kamana'o ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) had 58 assists, 12 digs and four kills in a four-game loss at Gonzaga (Spokane, Wash.) Saturday. Kamana'o had 48 assists and nine digs in a four-game win over Portland Thursday.
Oregon State sophomore setter Camilla Ah-Hoy (Kahuku '06 of La'ie) had 55 assists and nine digs in a five-game win over Arizona Friday. She had 38 assists and 17 digs in a three-game loss to Arizona State Thursday.
Pepperdine (Malibu, Calif.) senior middle blocker Lecca Roberts (Seabury Hall '04 of Kula) had 13 kills against three errors on 24 attempts for a .417 hitting percentage in a three-game sweep of Loyola Marymount Saturday.
Senior setter Ashley Dutro (attended Punahou) had 16 assists and five digs for Loyola.
St. John's (New York City) junior libero Lena Yee (Moanalua '05 of Honolulu) had 20 digs in a three-game sweep of DePaul Friday and 10 digs in a sweep of Notre Dame Sunday.
Oregon Tech (Klamath Falls, Ore.) sophomore libero Kristie Vea (Kalani '06 of Honolulu) had 17 digs and an ace in a five-game win over Warner Pacific (Portland, Ore.) Friday and nine digs and two aces the following night in a three-game sweep of Cascade (Portland, Ore.). Vea was named Cascade Conference and NAIA Region I Libero of the Week on Oct. 24.
Fairfield (Conn.) senior outside hitter Jazmin Pa'akaula (St. Joseph '04 of Hilo) had 20 digs in a five-game win over Siena (Loudonville, N.Y.) Saturday. Senior setter Ashley Hanohano (St. Joseph '04 of Hilo) had 11 assists and senior outside hitter Lindsey Lee (St. Joseph '04 of Hilo) added five digs and an ace while junior libero Brandi Higa (Hawai'i Baptist '05 of Honolulu) had six digs and three assists.
Sophomore defensive specialist Kau'i Robello (Punahou '06 of Honolulu) had 14 digs and five assists for Sienna and junior libero Kathi Kobayashi (Punahou '05 of 'Aiea) had 10 digs and two aces. Kobayashi added 11 digs in a three-game sweep of Manhattan College (New York City) Sunday.
Pacific University senior setter Anela Iseke (Kamehameha '04 of Hau'ula) had 55 assists, nine digs, three kills and three aces in a five-game win over George Fox last Wednesday. She had 69 assists, 18 digs, five kills and two aces in a five-game loss to Linfield Saturday.
MEN'S SOCCER
Army senior defender Scott Batule (Campbell '03 of Honolulu) scored the Knights' first goal in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Batule has started seven of 11 games with two assists this season.
St. Mary's junior midfielder Justin Kim (Mililani '04 of Mililani) had an assist in the first minute of a 2-1 loss to San Francisco Sunday.
Loyola Marymount junior defender Stephen Carlson (Punahou '04 of Honolulu) had an assist in a 2-1 loss to San Diego Friday.
Pacific University junior defender Jared Komo (Makua Lani Christian '05 of Kailua, Kona) had an assist in a 2-0 victory over Linfield last Wednesday.
SWIMMING & DIVING
Northern Arizona (Flagstaff, Ariz.) freshman Kim Kopra (Hawai'i Prep '07 of Waimea) was named Western Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week yesterday. Kopra, who was competing in her first collegiate meet, swam the breaststroke leg of the first-place 200-meter medley relay team, was on the winning 200-meter freestyle relay team and was first in the 100 breaststroke. The next day she won two more events and finished second in three others. Her time in the 100-breaststroke of 1:05.48 is second-best in the WAC this season and third-best in Northern Arizona history.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.
