Trojans hand Wahine first loss at new T.C. Ching Complex

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DARRYL OUMI
2015 March 18 - Hawaii's Nikki Taylor attempts a kill in the NCAA women's sand volleyball match between the USC Trojans and the Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine at the T.C. Ching Sandbox on the University of Hawaii campus. PHOTO BY DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER.

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It’s been a season of firsts for the Hawaii women’s sand volleyball team.

First win over two-time national champion Pepperdine in six meetings.

First No. 1 ranking.

First home match at the new T.C. Ching Complex courts.

First live televised collegiate match in the sport’s four-year history.

And now, the first loss of the season.

No. 3 USC spoiled top-ranked Hawaii’s campus debut, sweeping the SandBows 5-0 on Wednesday in front of about 200 fans. The final two pairs matches were played under the lights, spotlighting the Women of Troy’s strong case to replace Hawaii at the top of the AVCA poll after they improved to 4-0.

USC’s No. 1 pair of Sara Hughes-Kelly Claes put an exclamation point on the decisive victory when she rallied past Hawaii’s Brittany Tiegs-Nikki Taylor 21-16, 19-21, 15-10. The SandBows (3-1) took just one other set off the Women of Troy, that coming at No. 3, when Sammie Brown-Hannah Rooks lost to Eve Ettinger-Meg Norton 21-17, 17-21, 15-9.

"Hawaii is a good, solid team and they challenged us all match," USC coach Anna Collier said. "We had to stay focused. This is what we want. To be the best, you have to play the best.

"Hawaii is taking the sport to another level with what they’re doing here."

It just wasn’t enough Wednesday night.

"I can’t be upset with the loss," Tiegs said of the three-setter. "Honestly, this was our best match of the year. We were hustling. Nikki and I are still learning to play together and we have so much room to improve. We just need to be more consistent."

The disappointment was in seeing a 4-1 lead in Set 3 disappear. Claes served two dying-duck aces in front of Tiegs to break an 8-8 tie and put the USC pair ahead for good.

Claes added a kill, followed by a diving dig by Bukovec that went back over and landed just inside the endline to push the lead to 12-8. Hawaii got as close as 12-10 but, in a set to 15, simply ran out of time.

"I’m not happy with the outcome, but the environment was awesome," Hawaii coach Jeff Hall said. "That was a very good team we played and tonight they were better than us.

"I think they’re No 1. I think they’re better than Pepperdine."

Hawaii edged Pepperdine 3-2 two weeks ago at Queen’s Beach. USC will host the No. 2 Waves next Tuesday.

Hawaii takes the day off while the Rainbow Wahine indoor team hosts Texas in an exhibition match Thursday night. The SandBows host their inaugural Queen of the Beach Friday at Queen’s Beach starting at 8 a.m. The two-day event moves back to the Ching Complex Saturday starting at 9 a.m.

"This was the coolest thing ever," Rooks said. "Playing at Queen’s is great, it’s what sand (volleyball is all about . But (being on campus) was awesome.

"For us, it came down to the little things, not doing enough of the little things."

Rooks could have been describing the entire competition. In a game of inches, the SandBows saw a number of serves go just centimeters long or their shots a grain or two wide.

Hawaii did win one match, a non-counting one, at No. 6. Sydney Shinn-Gianna Guinasso rallied for an 18-21, 22-20, 15-7 victory over Lorna Brandt-Jo Kremer.

CORRECTION: The USC women’s sand volleyball coach is Anna Collier. Her first name was misspelled in an earlier version of this story and the story in the print edition of Thursday’s sports section.