Hawaii beach volleyball players Morgan Martin and Pani Napoleon were named the Big West pairs team of the week on Monday after going 5-0 during the five-match road swing in Arizona. It is the fourth time in four weeks of competition that a Rainbow Wahine pair has earned the honor.
The duo had the clinching point in the 3-2 win at No. 17 Grand Canyon. Martin and Napoleon then went 4-0 in the Arizona State Invitational, with two wins over the host Sun Devils and victories over pairs from No. 2 USC and No. 5 Pepperdine. All five wins came in straight sets.
Since being paired for the first time at the No. 3 flight on March 16, Martin, a junior All-American, and Napoleon, a redshirt junior, have gone 10-0 and haven’t dropped a set.
The SandBows are next at the Big West Challenge on Saturday and Sunday at Pismo Beach, Calif.
Dressler named to West First Team
Chaminade guard Grant Dressler was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Division II All-West Region first team announced on Monday.
The 6-foot-7 senior was second in the PacWest in scoring, averaging 19.2 points per game, and was the leader in 3-point shooting, averaging three per game.
Dressler will be part of the 2019 Reece’s NABC Division II All-Star Game on Friday at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
Hilo splits softball doubleheader on road
The Hawaii Hilo softball team split a doubleheader against Concordia Irvine on Monday, winning the first game 5-1 and dropping the second 2-1 in Irvine, Calif.
The Vulcans (21-9, 16-6 PacWest) were led by sophomore Kiarra Lincoln, who went 3-for-4 with a home run in the first game.
In the second game, the Vulcans scored their lone run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by junior Brinell Kaleikini.
’Swords get swept by Biola
The Chaminade softball team lost both of its games against Biola on Monday at Freedom Field in La Mirada, Calif.
The Silverswords were led by senior Rainelle Matsuoka’s double and RBI single in the first game, but fell to the Penguins 3-2.
They lost the second game 11-0 as Biola’s Jennifer Morinishi held the ‘Swords to four hits.
Curry wins pitcher of the week award
Hawaii Pacific’s Jordan Curry was selected as the PacWest Conference softball pitcher of the week on Monday for her performance last week against Dominican.
This is the second time Curry has earned the award.
The senior from Farmington, N.M., struck out 10 batters in two games against the Penguins, allowing only four hits in nine innings.
>> Hawaii Hilo pitcher Isabelle Mejia was named the PacWest player of the week on Monday.
The senior from Arcadia, Calif., went 11-for-26 last week with eight runs scored, 10 RBIs, two doubles and a home run. Mejia leads the team in doubles with eight and has driven in 18 runs.