Kim shares lead in Florida

Hilo’s Kimberly Kim soared into a tie for first in yesterday’s third round of the LPGA Sectional Qualifier, in Venice, Fla. Kim shot a 1-under-par 71 and shares the lead at 212 with Plai Kongkraphan, from Thailand, and Futures Tour player Lucy Nunn, from Oklahoma.

Maui’s Shayna Miyajima (74–221) is tied for 21st going into today’s final round on the Bobcat Course at Plantation Golf & Country Club.

The top 30 and ties advance to the LPGA’s Final Qualifying Tournament, a five-day event played in Florida in December.

UH tennis season opens

University of Hawaii senior Dennis Lajola, No. 106 in the preseason ITA singles rankings, is in the qualifying draw of the D’Novo/ITA All-American Tennis Championships, which begin tomorrow in Tulsa, Okla.

Rainbow teammates Jeremy Tweedt, Dmytro Kovalyov, Jonathan Brooklyn and Jared Spiker are in pre-qualifying.

Seasiders win at tennis regional

Brigham Young-Hawaii’s Yuan Jia and Elwen Li both won their singles matches and teamed for a victory in doubles at the USTA/ITA West Regional tennis tournament in Los Angeles yesterday.

The top-seeded Jia defeated Paole Fe of Academy of Art 6-0, 6-0 in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. Li defeated Krystal Mizuguchi of UC San Diego 6-2, 6-0.

Bukoski leads HPU in soccer

Chance Bukoski scored on a header just before halftime and the Hawaii Pacific men’s soccer team edged Dixie State 1-0 yesterday in St. George, Utah.

The Sea Warriors (5-1, 4-0 PacWest) were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area, with Nathan Scott connecting with Bukoski with 6 seconds remaining. The Red Storm dropped to 2-5-1 and 2-2-1.

» In yesterday’s PacWest women’s match, HPU was shut out by host Dixie State 2-0. Whitney Davis scored both goals late in the second half for the Red Storm (6-3, 3-2 PacWest).

The Sea Warriors dropped to 2-5 and 2-2.