No. 6 Hawaii defended its title with back-to-back victories over No. 5 Long Beach State for the 2017 Big West Beach Volleyball Championship in Pismo Beach, Calif., on Saturday. The Rainbow Wahine (26-5) edged the 49ers 3-2 in the semifinal and 4-1 in the title match.
UH’s Emily Maglio and Laurel Weaver captured the game-winning points for both matches in the No. 3 flight, with 21-13, 21-19 and 22-20, 21-18 wins over Anete Brinke-Hailey Harward. The pair won their eighth straight match, while teammates Carly Kan and Ari Homayun continue their 13-match win streak.
Senior Nikki Taylor also had a breakout day, earning win No. 103 to surpass former partner and All-American Katie Spieler for the all-time individual SandBows record. Taylor and partner Ka’iwi Schucht swept LBSU’s No. 2 duo Sasha Karelov and Kobi Pekich 21-14, 21-18 in the semifinal and 21-18, 21-12 in the championship match. Long Beach State (26-8) previously defeated the Rainbow Wahine 3-2 in the regular season.
The SandBows finished with a perfect 3-0 record in the tournament and have won 11 of their past 12 matches. With no automatic berth into the NCAA championship, UH will await today’s selection show at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com. The tournament will run May 5-7 and feature the top eight teams in the country in a three-day double-elimination format at Gulf Shores, Ala.
BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
At Pismo Beach, Calif., Saturday
Championship
>> Hawaii 4, Long Beach State 1
1. Morgan Martin/Mikayla Tucker (UH) def. Nele Barber/Rachel Nieto (LBSU) 13-21, 21-19, 15-11
2. Nikki Taylor/Ka’iwi Schucht (UH) def. Sasha Karelov/Kobi Pekich (LBSU) 21-18, 21-12
3. Laurel Weaver/Emily Maglio (UH) def. Anete Brinke/Hailey Harward (LBSU) 22- 20, 21-18
4. Ari Homayun/Carly Kan (UH) def. Morea Wagner/Heather Weiss (LBSU) 21-19, 21-14
5. Jenelle Hudson/Megan Kruidhof (LBSU) def. Amy Ozee/Hannah Zalopany (UH) 23-21, 16-21, 15-10
Semifinal
>> Hawaii 3, Long Beach State 2
1. Nele Barber/Rachel Nieto (LBSU) def. Morgan Martin/Mikayla Tucker (UH) 21-9, 21-19
2. Nikki Taylor/Ka’iwi Schucht (UH) def. Sasha Karelov/Kobi Pekich (LBSU) 21-14, 21-18
3. Laurel Weaver/Emily Maglio (UH) def. Hailey Harward/Anete Brinke (LBSU) 21-13, 21-19
4. Ari Homayun/Carly Kan (UH) def. Morea Wagner/Heather Weiss (LBSU) 21-18, 21-16
5. Megan Kruidhof/Jenelle Hudson (LBSU) def. Amy Ozee/Hannah Zalopany (UH) 21-14, 26-24
