State Colleges Report | Esterhuizen takes long road to SU soccer

The distance between Pasco High School and Seattle University is only about 230 miles, but Hans Esterhuizen has taken the long way between the two campuses.

After stops at Rhode Island and Washington, the defender has found a home on the Seattle U. soccer team and has made a major contribution to the Redhawks' success over the past three years. And that success is made sweeter by overcoming a major injury and a head-coaching change before his senior year, culminating with an appearance in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals this weekend.

After arriving at SU in 2004, Esterhuizen (pronounced Ester-hazen) did not play during the Redhawks' NCAA championship season while recovering from an injury suffered the previous year at UW. He played in 15 matches in 2005 as SU failed to advance to the tournament.

As a senior, Esterhuizen believed it was important to support the new coaching staff, including head coach Brad Agoos, after Peter Fewing resigned last spring.

"We've been through a lot, experienced the feelings of winning it all, then losing it all," Esterhuizen said. "When you've been through what this team has, it's easier to refuse to give anything away."

Esterhuizen points to fellow senior Chris Sorensen (Bishop Blanchet) as a prime example.

"Chris exemplified that when, after losing his spot as the starting goalie, he came in for the shootout against Cal State L.A. and made two saves to help us win that match," he said. "With such a small margin between winning and losing, it comes down to showing your heart and wanting it more than the other side."

After scoring one goal during the regular season, Esterhuizen scored in each of the team's victories at the Far West Regional last weekend. He was named the region's defensive MVP and earned a spot on the all-regional team.

Now, the captain leads his team to Durango, Colo., for Saturday's quarterfinal match against defending champion Fort Lewis College.

Other Seattle U. sports

Basketball: The men's and women's teams were picked fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in preseason coaches polls. Both teams start the regular season Nov. 17, with the women on the road at Notre Dame de Namur and the men hosting the Elgin Baylor Classic.

Seattle Pacific

Men's basketball: In their most demanding exhibition season yet, the Falcons face Saint Mary's, Murray State and San Diego State on successive days beginning Friday in Moraga, Calif. The games count for the D-I schools but not D-II SPU. Murray State and SDSU are both coming off NCAA tournament appearances.

Volleyball: SPU (24-2) seeks its first NCAA postseason win when it opens against Chico State on Thursday in San Bernardino, Calif. The Falcons have won 18 in a row and their No. 4 seeding is their highest in four regional appearances.

Cross country: Freshmen Jessica Pixler (Eastlake of Sammamish) and Jane Larson (Cedar Park Christian of Bothell) each made the All-West Region team by finishing first and 14th.

Washington

Men's soccer: UW's at-large berth is its 11th trip to the NCAA tournament in coach Dean Wurzberger's 15 years and 10th in the past 12 years, but its first since 2004. The Huskies (12-6-1) host Creighton on Friday at 7 p.m.

Volleyball: No. 4 Washington (21-3, 11-2), tied with UCLA for second and one game behind Stanford, travels Saturday to WSU (15-12, 3-10). Tickets for the NCAA Regional Dec. 8-9 at Edmundson Pavilion are on sale, with Thursday the deadline for priority seating. Orders by Thursday will include free general-admission tickets to the Nov. 17 match against Arizona State.

Cross country: Both UW teams will face a combined six top-10 teams at Saturday's NCAA West Regional at Portland's Blue Lake Park. The Huskies have faced top-10 competition at every varsity meet this season.

Washington St.

Volleyball: Freshman libero Kelly Hyder (Huntington Beach, Calif.) has 471 digs this season, No. 2 on WSU's season list, and needs 44 to pass teammate Jalen Pendon (Spanaway Lake), who had 514 last season.

Women's soccer: The Cougars' season-ending 1-0 victory over Arizona on Sunday was their 10th shutout of the season, tying a school record. WSU allowed only 15 goals in 20 matches, breaking the previous season record of 16 goals in 1994. Junior goalkeeper Brynn Bemis (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) set a school record with a 0.69 goals-against average.

Cross country: Seven men and seven women will represent the Cougars at the NCAA West Regional in Portland on Saturday.

Western Washington

Football: Senior free safety Todd McClellan (Timberline of Lacey) had two interceptions in each of the Vikings' past two games, both come-from-behind wins. He has earned back-to-back North Central Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Volleyball: Junior libero Courtney Schneider (Snohomish), who leads NCAA Division II in digs per game at 7.47, needs 12 more digs to break her school and GNAC record of 646 set last season. The Vikings (18-6) meet No. 2 seed UC San Diego in an NCAA DII Pacific Regional first-round match Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in San Bernardino, Calif.

Other colleges

Central Washington: The Wildcats' volleyball team (19-7) qualified for its third consecutive NCAA DII tournament. The eighth seed at the Pacific Regional opens against host Cal State San Bernardino (25-1) Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Eastern Washington: The Eagles' volleyball team has won nine of its last 10 to earn its 11th straight Big Sky Conference tournament berth. Eastern concludes the regular season this week against Montana State and Montana.

Evergreen State: First-year team members Emily Uhlig (Liberty of Issaquah) and Brian Rakestraw (Woodinville) led Evergreen at the Cascade Conference/NAIA Region I cross-country championships Saturday. The freshman Rakestraw was 24th overall, and sophomore Uhlig was 38th.

Gonzaga: Junior Becky Jones (Woodland, Calif.) had her 12th double-double of the season to help the women's volleyball team earn a sweep of Portland on Saturday. It was the Zags' first 3-0 WCC victory in nearly five seasons.

Northwest: Two Eagles will be heading to the NAIA Cross Country Championships in Louisville, Ky., in two weeks. Senior Kjerstein Bailey (Sequim) defended her 2005 Cascade Conference crown on Saturday in La Grande, Ore., running the 5-kilometer course in 18:41. Beth Knudtson (Issaquah) finished second at 18:45.

Pacific Lutheran: Kati McGinn (Puyallup), the volleyball team's only senior, was named the Northwest Conference Player of the Year by coaches. Kevin Aoki , in his 11th year as the Lutes' head coach, was the NWC Coach of the Year.

Puget Sound: The Loggers have six teams represented in the national rankings. Both the men's and women's basketball, cross country and soccer teams are considered among the best in the nation.

Saint Martin's: Sophomore John Riak (North Thurston of Lacey) qualified for the NCAA D-II cross-country championships by finishing fourth at the West Regional meet at the Lake Oroville (Calif.) Forebay Aquatics Center. Riak, whose time was 32:24.52, had the best finish of a GNAC runner.

Whitman: Freshman Eric Molnar (Mount Si of Snoqualmie) won three individual events and was part of two victorious relays as Whitman opened Harvey Pool with dual-meet victories over Lewis and Clark and Albertson's. Junior Erin Pettersen (Lakeside of Seattle) won one individual event and swam on two winning relays as the women split their dual meets.

Whitworth: Casey Clifton (University of Spokane) was NWC Defensive Player of the Week in the Pirates' first football win over Linfield since 1975, causing two fumbles and recovering another. The Pirates (9-0) host Puget Sound (7-2) Saturday in an NCAA DIII playoff game.

Elsewhere: Sophomore Angela Hulse (Juanita of Kirkland) was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference women's soccer all-tournament team as Jacksonville advanced to the NCAA tournament. Sophomores Heidi Dettmer (Snohomish) and Lauren Haynes (Auburn) also play for the Dolphins. ... Senior defender Lisa Barros (Skyline of Sammamish) was named to the America East All-Championship Team for her play for New Hampshire.

Sports information directors contributed to this notebook.