wˌɛn kˈɑːɹɹɪjə mˈuːvd tə ðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts tə stˈʌdi æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv mˈeɪn, ʃiː bɪkˌeɪm ɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə wˈɪmɪnz fˈiːld hˈɑːki tˈiːm, ænd dʒˈɔɪnd ðə lˈoʊkəl bˈɑːksɪŋ dʒˈɪm tə kˈiːp ɪn ʃˈeɪp.
When Kariya moved to the United States to study at the University of Maine, she became a member of the women's field hockey team, and joined the local boxing gym to keep in shape.