Hawaii Shocks 14th-Ranked SDSU Women

Shooting just 28.2% in the second half, the 14th-ranked San Diego State women’s basketball team was upset by Hawaii, 73-60, Wednesday night at Peterson Gym.

The loss stopped a 9-game home winning streak for the Aztecs, who fell into a third-place tie at 5-2 with Nevada-Las Vegas in the Big West Conference. Hawaii (8-4, 4-1) moved into second place behind Long Beach State.

“This is our biggest win ever,” Hawaii Coach Vince Goo said. “This is the highest-ranking team we’ve ever beaten. It was a great, great team effort.”

Playing its eighth game of a 9-game trip, Hawaii rebounded from a 35-30 halftime deficit. Tondi Redden made a 3-point shot with 11:50 to play to put Hawaii ahead to stay, 46-43. Hawaii then outscored SDSU, 30-14, the rest of the way.

San Diego State played without its second-leading scorer, Julie Evans, a starting guard who has the flu, and starting forward Stefanie Massie, who also was ill.

Chana Perry had 27 points and 16 rebounds for SDSU, and Crystal Lee added 11 points.

Judy Mosley led Hawaii with 24 points, Ayesha Brooks had 21 and Redden 14.

SOCKERS

The Sockers, who are looking for a defender to replace recently retired Gary Etherington, may have found one in John Stollmeyer, an All-Star for the Cleveland Force last season.

Stollmeyer, 25, is currently playing with the U.S. National Team. He told Socker Coach Ron Newman earlier this week that he was interested in joining the team.

“He’s interested in us, and we’re interested in him,” Newman said. “If something could be worked out with his national team schedule, he’d be a good bet to join us.”

Another national team player who could take Etherington’s spot is former Socker forward Hugo Perez. Newman spoke with Perez last week, and the 1988 MISL Championship Series MVP told Newman he’d be interested in returning.

“The only thing is he was supposed to call me last Sunday, and he hasn’t called yet,” Newman said.