ISLE FILE
Brazil beats U.S. women's volleyball team in semis
Advertiser Staff
The U.S. women's national team lost for the first time in 2007 last night as Brazil handed the Americans a 25-15, 25-15, 25-18 defeat in the sixth annual Pan American Cup semifinals, at Colima, Mexico.
Team USA will face Dominican Republic for the second time in the tournament in the third-place match today. Brazil is the defending champion and plays Cuba for the title.
Team USA reached the semifinal round by winning the tournament's Pool A with a 5-0 record, the only country in the 12-team tournament to go undefeated in pool play. The U.S. qualified for the 2008 FIVB World Grand Prix in the process,
The Brazilians committed just seven attack errors on 81 swings.
"They played great is all I have to say," said Team USA setter Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, a three-time Hawai'i All-American.
In other volleyball news, Hawai'i's Kawika Shoji and Spencer McLachlin were named captains of the junior national team. Shoji, a 2006 'Iolani graduate, and McLachlin, a 2007 Punahou graduate, are the lone four-year starters for this age group, playing two years with the Youth National Team and now in their second year with the Junior National Team.
The 2007 FIVB Men's Junior World Championships will be July 7 to 15 in Morocco. Before making the trip to Morocco, the team will travel to Italy to compete in a "Friendship Tournament" with Japan and Argentina.
"With Shoji moving from setter to libero this summer, our serve reception has improved throughout our training. He is a gifted, complete volleyball player," U.S. coach Andy Read said. "(Matt) Anderson, (Kevin) Carroll, McLachlin and (Cole) Reinholm are giving us not just a good left-side attack, but are also quick effective hitters out of the back row."
The U.S. has been slotted into Pool B with defending champions Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Egypt and Slovenia.
GOLF
CHING FINISHES 15TH
Punahou senior Alex Ching finished in a tie for 15th at the AJGA's Mission Hills Desert Junior yesterday in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Ching closed with an even-par 72 for a 216 total at Mission Hills' Dinah Shore Tournament Course.
Sihwan Kim, from Buena Park, Calif., became the tournament's first three-time champion. He shot 66—206 for his eighth AJGA championship.
Jennifer Johnson, from La Quinta, Calif., also shot 66 on her home course to win the girls title. Her final round was an AJGA tournament low on the course.
Kyung Kim, 13, who recently moved from Maui to Arizona, finished seventh at the AJGA's Houchens Industries Junior Open in Alvaton, Ky. Kim shot 84—243 to finish nine behind champion Dafodil Sanchez.
MERKLE LEADS GIRLS
Kristina Merkle leads the girls 13-18 age division while Pono Calip, David Fink and TJ Kua share the lead in the boys 13-18 division after yesterday's opening round of the Westfield Aloha Section Junior PGA Championship at Princeville on Kaua'i.
Merkle shot a 4-under-par 68 for a three-stroke lead on Nicole Sakamoto.
Calip, Fink and Kua each shot 4-under 68 for a one-stroke lead on Henry Park.
The other leaders among the girls are: Kristen Sawada (13-15) with 71, Eimi Koga (11-12) with 64, Allisen Corpuz and Mariel Galdiano (9-10) with 72s, and Mari Camacho (7-8) with 62.
The other leaders among the boys are: Lorens Chan and Inoka Kahawaii (13-15) with 72s, Kalena Preus (11-12) with 57, Kyle Suppa (9-10) with 73, and Shawn Lu (7-8) with 38.
TENNIS
LAM ADVANCES
Honolulu's Chris Lam advanced to the quarterfinals in singles and the semifinals in doubles at the $10,000 Buffalo Bills Futures in Rochester, N.Y.
Lam beat Bryan Koniecko, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, and teamed with Gregory Ouellette to oust Mexico's Juan-Manuel Elizondo and Luis-Manuel Flores, 7-5, 6-2.
BOXING
RAMOS IN SEMIFINALS
Gino Ramos, of Honolulu, decisioned Cody McNabb of Jasper, Tenn., 14-2, in yesterday's quarterfinals of the Junior Olympic National Championships at Marquette, Mich.
Two other Hawai'i boxers lost preliminary fights Wednesday as Eduardo Villa of California won on disqualification over Ezra Cabang of Pahoa, and Jessie Roman of California stopped Micah Matsushima of 'Ele'ele, Kaua'i, in the second round.
Josh Nakagawa of Kihei, Maui, also lost Wednesday. An incorrect result was printed in yesterday's Advertiser based on results from the event's Web site.
