The No. 3-ranked University of Hawaii sand volleyball team put itself in position for its first team appearance in the national championship by sweeping three dual matches at the Big West Challenge in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Friday.
The wins gave UH an 18-3 record, with its only losses coming to the top two teams in the nation, USC and Pepperdine.
The official announcement for the six-team field in the AVCA National Championship will be made on Monday. The event will be held May 2-4 in Gulf Shores, Ala. The field will be made up of the top two teams from the West and Southeast regions, a team from the Atlantic Sun and an at-large selection, which UH would likely receive.
On Friday, the Rainbow Wahine beat Cal Poly and Irvine Valley College by 5-0 scores and defending national champion and No. 5 Long Beach State 4-1.
UH’s No. 1 team of Brittany Tiegs and Karissa Cook won all three of their matches in straight sets, outlasting Long Beach’s No. 1 of Tyler Jackson and Janisa Johnson 22-20, 21-11.
Katie Spieler and Nikki Taylor, UH’s No. 2 team, swept Irvine and Poly but lost to Long Beach State’s No. 2 of Delainey Aigner-Swesey and Bojana Todorovic 21-18, 18-21, 15-11.
The Big West Challenge will continue Saturday with pairs competition.
UH 5, Irvine Valley College 0
1. Brittany Tiegs/Karissa Cook (UH) def. Marisa Doran/Kobi Pekich (IVC) 21-12, 21-11
2. Katie Spieler/Nikki Taylor (UH) def. Becky Moody/Annie Mitchem (IVC) 21-9, 21-10
3. Ali Longo/Ginger Long (UH) def. Katherine Kolodziej/Alexis Radecki (IVC) 21-12, 21-13
4. Karlee Riggs/Mikayla Tucker def. Hailey Jones/Shaelyn Perez (IVC) 21-5, 21-10
5. London Chow/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Emily Daily/Erica Tsujimoto (IVC) 21-5, 21-7
UH 4, Long Beach State 1
1. Brittany Tiegs/Karissa Cook (UH) def. Tyler Jackson/Janisa Johnson (LBSU) 22-20, 21-11
2. D. Aigner-Swesey/ Bojana Todorovic (LBSU) def. Katie Spieler/Nikki Taylor (UH) 21-18, 18-21, 15-11
3. Ali Longo/Ginger Long (UH) def. Chelsea Cabrajack/Bre Mackie (LBSU) 21-16, 21-16
4. London Chow/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Alex Reid/Jenelle Hudson (LBSU), 21-17, 21-16
5. Karlee Riggs/Mikayla Tucker def. Ciana Wagner/Morea Wagner (LBSU) 21-17, 21-17
UH 5, Cal Poly 0
1. Brittany Tiegs/Karissa Cook (UH) def. Jennifer Keddy/Katie Conroy (CP) 21-13, 21-4
2. Katie Spieler/Nikki Taylor (UH) def. Megan Groess/Nicole Kessler (CP) 21-13, 21-11
3. Ali Longo/Ginger Long (UH) def. Hannah Schleis/Kate Walters (CP) 21-15, 21-10
4. London Chow/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Taylor Gruenewald/Shannon Fouts (CP) 21-10, 21-9
5. Hannah Rooks/Tayler Higgins (UH) def. Anna Gorman/Lexi Reddick (CP) 21-13, 21-16
