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Post by Kale'aRuth on Mar 24, 2015 13:42:37 GMT -5
yeah. many teams on Oahu "at the same time."
Kailua VBC--UH Alumni, too. Who's going with them to Haili/Hilo this weekend?
Any one??
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 24, 2015 20:48:40 GMT -5
Hawaii sand volleyball team drops to No. 2SandBows lose top ranking after falling to USCBy Star-Advertiser staff POSTED: 10:33 a.m. HST, Mar 24, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 10:41 a.m. HST, Mar 24, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Katie Spieler dives to get a ball in the second set of the Cal 2 vs Hawaii 2 sand volleyball match at the Rainbow Wahine Sand Volleyball courts at the Ching Athletic Complex.The Hawaii sand volleyball team left for California on Tuesday with a new national ranking: No. 2. The SandBows (6-1) dropped a spot after losing their first match of the season, a 5-0 sweep by then-No. 3 USC last Wednesday at the T.C. Ching Complex courts. The Women of Troy (6-0) jumped two spots to No. 1 with defending national champion Pepperdine (6-1) dropping to No. 3. Florida State (10-4) and Long Beach State (3-2) remained at No. 4 and 5, respectively. Hawaii plays at Pacific Thursday than in the Santa Cruz (Calif). Collegiate Challenge Saturday and Sunday. Also competing on Main Beach are co-hosts Santa Clara and USF, as well as Cal, Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 25, 2015 14:25:04 GMT -5
SandBows eager for next road challenge
By Cindy Luis, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 25, 2015
The loss was acceptable. Being swept wasn't.
When Hawaii lost its first dual match of the season last Wednesday to USC, it was a reality check for the then-No. 1 Rainbow Wahine sand volleyball team. The Women of Troy exploited some of Hawaii's weaknesses in taking the 5-0 victory and spoiling the opening of the new Ching Complex courts.
It wasn't without its rewards. The SandBows refocused and readjusted to win their next two duals — 5-0 against Cal and a gritty 3-2 versus Nebraska — that capped a long week with four competitions in five days. Hawaii faces another packed week, beginning Thursday, with new challenges, new venues as well as a new rank: No. 2.
The SandBows were replaced by USC atop the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Top 10 Tuesday. It came as no surprise to first-year Hawaii coach Jeff Hall.
"They are absolutely the best team in the country," said Hall before the team left Tuesday afternoon. "We knew SC would be a challenge with pretty impressive athletes 1 through 6 (pairs).
"Where the disappointment comes is that we didn't take any points off them. I think it was a wake-up call. It showed we have to be better and can't be satisfied. We have to stay hungry."
Hall is expecting to tweak his lineup, starting Thursday at his alma mater, Pacific (7-4). Hawaii's top three pairs won't be touched — "They are playing exceptionally well," he said — but there could be a change at Nos. 4 through 6. (Results at No. 6 don't count in the best-of-five dual matches).
"Pacific is really good, I think the best in Northern California, and we're looking forward to that challenge," Hall said. "We squeezed this match in late. It was the first call I made my first week on the job.
"And we're looking forward to the Santa Cruz tournament on the iconic beach that the AVP Tour has used and one that I played on."
The Santa Cruz Collegiate Challenge includes co-hosts Santa Clara and USF, as well as Cal, Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield. It also offers a different format, with team duals being played in the bracket style normally used with pairs tournaments. Schools advance into one bracket with a win or into another with a loss.
The dual tournament is scheduled for Saturday. Sunday's pairs tournament has three brackets, one for the Nos. 1 and 2 teams, one for Nos. 3 and 4, and the other for No. 5.
It will be a return of sorts for new SandBows assistant coach Evan Silberstein. He was an assistant coach at USF last season.
Hawaii takes next week off, then competes in the USAV Beach College Challenge, April 11-12, at Hermosa Beach, Calif. The SandBows close out their home schedule with their Showcase on April 18 at Queen's Beach; duals with HPU, San Jose State and Grand Canyon on April 19 at the Ching courts; and the inaugural Aloha Invitational on April 24-25 with Long Beach State, Saint Mary's and UCLA at Queen's Beach.
The final AVCA National Championship is May 1-3 at Gulf Shores, Ala. Beginning next season, sand volleyball will be sanctioned as an NCAA championship sport.
Note
No. 1 USC edged No. 3 Pepperdine 3-2 Tuesday in Los Angeles. The Women of Troy improved to 7-0, the visiting Waves dropped to 6-2. It is the first time Pepperdine has lost two matches in a season. The Waves were 52-2 prior to this year with the only losses coming to Long Beach State in 2013 and to USC in 2014. They lost to Hawaii earlier this month.
SANDBOWS VOLLEYBALL
At Stockton, Calif. » No. 2 Hawaii (6-1) vs. Pacific (7-4). 1 p.m. Thursday
At Santa Cruz, Calif. » Santa Cruz Collegiate Challenge. Saturday-Sunday, 6 a.m. With Hawaii, Santa Clara, USF, Cal, Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield
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Post by Kale'aRuth on Mar 27, 2015 10:38:45 GMT -5
UH did a nice job of live streaming the #1 & #2 matches v. USC. They had multiple camera's and production and replays. The announcers had done some homework on the athletes. It was free and I would say a job well done. If they had 5 courts on campus combined with say queens beach and the outrigger club. That would be a nice combined venue. Then again, Huntington, Hermosa or Manhattan Beach wouldn't be bad either. They have four courts on campus. Three are competition courts and one for practice (which I'd assume could be used just the same). Queens and Outrigger are essentially one of the same being on Waikiki Beach. Fort Derussy's got room for a couple of courts too. IF need be, in desperation Alamoana Beach/Park, just minutes away from Waikiki, could also be utilized for numbers of them.
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Post by vbvalley on Mar 27, 2015 12:01:34 GMT -5
The very private Outrigger Canoe Club would actually allow U of Hawaii to have a tournament there? Has the OCC ever done that before?
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 27, 2015 18:20:21 GMT -5
The very private Outrigger Canoe Club would actually allow U of Hawaii to have a tournament there? Has the OCC ever done that before? those courts are cramped too ...
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 29, 2015 19:39:19 GMT -5
Hawaii wins sand volleyball tournament in Santa Cruz, Calif.
No. 2 SandBows sweep three duals en route to title
By Star-Advertiser staff
POSTED: 04:09 p.m. HST, Mar 28, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 05:40 p.m. HST, Mar 28, 2015
The No. 2 Hawaii sand volleyball team went 3-0 in team duals Saturday, defeating Santa Clara in the final of the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Collegiate Challenge on Main Beach.
The SandBows (10-1) swept Cal State Bakersfield and USF 5-0 in pool play earlier in the day then swept Broncos 5-0. Santa Clara came out of its pool with wins over Cal and Cal Poly.
Hawaii dropped just one set in the final against Santa Clara, that coming at No. 5. when London Chow-Hannah Zalopany came back against Kaity Edwards-Mary Shepherd 21-15, 19-21, 15-10.
The SandBows finish their road trip in Sunday's pair event of the Santa Cruz Collegiate Challenge.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 29, 2015 19:40:00 GMT -5
SandBows have no trouble in Santa Cruz
By Star-Advertiser staff
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 29, 2015
Not far from where surfers were "hanging 10" at the famed Steamer Lane break, the No. 2 Hawaii sand volleyball team was hanging 10 wins on its record. The Rainbow Wahine (10-1) swept all three matches Saturday at the main beach courts to win the duals portion of the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Collegiate Challenge.
Hawaii dropped just two sets in 5-0 wins over Cal State Bakersfield (9-4) and co-hosts USF (5-4) and Santa Clara (5-2). Mikayla Tucker and Ka‘iwi Schucht were extended to three sets at No. 4 against the Roadrunners before closing it out in Set 3 15-9. No. 5 London Chow and Hannah Zalopany also went to three against the Broncos, picking up the Set 3 win 15-10.
"I thought we played really well today, executed well," coach Jeff Hall said. "The weather was great, the sand is comparable to what we have at Queen's (Beach).
"We were able to have a sixth pair play in the first two matches. Those were exhibitions, but we won those as well. It was a nice opportunity to get a lot of our players time on the courts."
Hawaii concludes its road trip with Sunday's pairs portion of the event. The No. 1 and 2 pairs from all six schools will compete in the gold bracket, Nos. 3 and 4 in the silver bracket and Nos. 5 and 6 in the bronze.
"Our goal is to have all six of our pairs playing in the three final matches," Hall said.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 29, 2015 19:41:49 GMT -5
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 30, 2015 15:16:58 GMT -5
SandBows return from successful week on road
By Star-Advertiser staff
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 30, 2015
In a word … dominant.
The goal for No. 2 Hawaii on Sunday was to have all five of its sand volleyball pairs reach the championship final of their respective brackets. Four of five did, with the Rainbow Wahine sweeping the bracket tournament portion of the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Collegiate Challenge on Main Beach.
Hawaii (10-1) returns to Honolulu on Monday with three bracket titles — gold, silver and bronze — from the six-school event. Leading the way was the No. 1 pair of Nikki Taylor and Brittany Tiegs, who defeated UH-2 Katie Spieler-Olivia Urban 21-19 in an abbreviated final that Spieler-Urban conceded due to illness.
UH-3 Sammie Brown and Hannah Rooks won the silver bracket (for the Nos. 3 and 4 pairs) over Santa Clara-4 Katrina Inch-Sarah Vacarro 21-18, 21-14. Inch-Vacarro prevented the all-Hawaii final by rallying past UH-4 Lara Schreiber-Heather Boyan 17-21, 21-10, 15-12 in the semifinals.
The bronze bracket title went to UH-5 London Chow-Hannah Zalopany over CSU Bakersfield-5 Star Tucker-Campbell and Luiza Martins.
Ka‘iwi Schucht-Mikayla Tucker won the exhibition bracket for the No. 6 pairs. Scores for both matches were unavailable.
"It was a good week, a long week, but a very good one for us," Hawaii coach Jeff Hall said, his team also winning all four duals on the road trip. "I'm very proud of the way the players finished. Sometimes at the end of a road trip, it can go the other way. To have that many teams in the three finals says a lot about our depth. I think the people up here (in northern California) think that Hawaii is pretty dang good. "
It was the third time in four tournaments this season that Spieler-Urban lost in the gold final. Hall said that Urban wasn't feeling well prior to the championship match but "gutted it out" when falling 21-19 in Set 1 to Taylor-Tiegs.
Hawaii next competes at the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge on April 11-12 in Hermosa Beach, Calif. The next series of home matches for the SandBows is their Sand Volleyball Showcase pairs tournament April 18 with San Jose State, Grand Canyon and Hawaii Pacific at Queen's Beach.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Apr 10, 2015 14:21:57 GMT -5
Challenging road trip for UH sand volleyball team
By Cindy Luis, Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 10, 2015
Heat courtesy of Santa Ana winds.
Coolness courtesy of the lingering marine layer.
The weather conditions could be either/or or even a little of both at this weekend's USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge. Hawaii has experienced the extremes that Hermosa Beach, Calif., can offer during three previous visits, in both weather and competition.
Saturday's opening duals will be no different with No. 2 Hawaii (10-1) facing No. 6 Long Beach State (8-3), an established program, and Boise State (3-8) in its second year of offering the sport.
Much is on the line in the opener with the 49ers. It is, as SandBows coach Jeff Hall said, "the most important match of the season."
"This is a big deal for us," the first-year coach said. "If we lose (to the 49ers), it could affect our seeding for the nationals. We win and we pretty much stay top-2.
"I'd like to not have us as a bubble team going into the national tournament selection."
Hawaii and Long Beach State took different approaches to prepare for the two-day event that also includes a pairs tournament.
The 49ers opened a challenging week Wednesday with a 5-0 loss at No. 4 Pepperdine (8-4), the Waves rebounding from their first ever home loss in four seasons at Zuma Beach Saturday to No. 1 USC 3-2. The Beach, seeing its five-match win streak emphatically snapped, hosts Grand Canyon (6-4) in a dual Friday before both teams head over to Hermosa Beach.
The SandBows haven't had an official competition since winning the team title and sweeping all three divisions of the pairs portion of the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Collegiate Challenge on March 28-29. Hawaii used the bye week and several days this week to recuperate, rehab and refocus.
"The week off was good and it worked out for us," Hall said. "We've had some injuries and some sickness and Nikki (sophomore Taylor who teams with Brittany Tiegs at No. 1) was working out with the indoor team. We could have been in trouble if we had to play with some of our top players missing for various reasons.
"But we're good now and looking forward to the test."
Hawaii left Thursday with the same six pairs that competed in Santa Cruz. Hall said he might switch up the order of the Nos. 4 through 6 pairs but was set on keeping Nos. 1 through 3 intact: Taylor-Tiegs at 1, Katie Spieler-Olivia Urban at 2 and Sammie Brown-Hannah Rooks at 3. The lineup used in Santa Cruz had Heather Boyan-Lara Schreiber at 4, London Chow-Hannah Zalopany at 5 and Mikayla Tucker-Ka‘iwi Schucht at 6, which is considered an exhibition.
Brown and Rooks won the silver bracket in Santa Cruz, the division for the Nos. 3 and 4 pairs. They are 16-6 and have won seven straight in their first season playing together.
"Every day we're together makes us better," said Brown, a setter for Notre Dame's indoor team the past four years. "Both of us are extremely competitive and we have the desire to compete with the top teams, not just the No. 3 teams but those at 1 an 2.
"It's nice to have the week off to mentally prepare for this week."
The UH coaching staff targeted several areas for improvement during recent practices. Those included transitioning, plays off the net and serving.
"We worked at serving into the wind and using the wind as a friend," Hall said. "We spent a lot of time on serving because we need to serve better. We've had some good practices."
USAV BEACH COLLEGIATE CHALLENGE
At Hermosa Beach, Calif.
With No. 1 USC, No. 2 Hawaii, No. 4 Pepperdine, No. 6 Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount, USF, Santa Clara, Grand Canyon, Boise State, Concordia
Saturday Team duals Pairs bracket play in silver and bronze divisions
Sunday Pairs bracket play in gold, silver and bronze divisions
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Apr 12, 2015 15:53:40 GMT -5
No. 2 Sandbows Stun No. 6 Long Beach State, Rip Broncos 4/11/2015 4:19:00 PM HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. – The No. 2 University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine sand volleyball team dusted off the cobwebs and rallied from an 0-2 hole to edge No. 6 Long Beach State on Saturday at the USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge. The 'Bows (12-1), who had 12 days off between competitions, followed their win over the 49ers with a 5-0 blanking of Boise State. Day 1 closed with the first round of the pairs tournament which continues on Sunday. Full Release: hawaiiathletics.com/news/2015/4/11/WSVB_0411152314.aspx?path=wsvbNo. 2 Hawai'i def. No. 6 Long Beach State (3-2)Brittany Tiegs/Nikki Taylor (UH) def. Delainey Aigner-Swesey/Chelsea Cabrajac (LBSU) 21-18, 15-21, 15-8 Katie Spieler/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Anete Brinke/Tyler Jackson (LBSU) 21-16, 21-9 Jenelle Hudson/Bre Mackie (LBSU) def. Hannah Rooks/Sammie Brown (UH) 21-18, 21-19 Andrea McHugh/Ciana Wagner (LBSU) def. Heather Boyan/Lara Schreiber (UH) 21-12, 21-17 Mikayla Tucker/Ka'iwi Schucht (UH) def. Nieto/Thomas (LBSU) 13-21, 22-20, 15-13 No. 2 Hawai'i def. Boise State (5-0)Brittany Tiegs/Nikki Taylor (UH) def. Hannah Hubbard/Maddy O'Donnell (BSU) 21-17, 21-10 Katie Spieler/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Sarah Baugh/Sierra Nobley (BSU) 22-20, 21-13 Hannah Rooks/Sammie Brown (UH) def. Katelyn Kinghorn/Aly Duffin (BSU) 21-8, 21-10 Mikayla Tucker/Ka'iwi Schucht (UH) def. Laney Hayes/Taylor Murphey (BSU) 21-8, 21-10 Heather Boyan/Lara Schreiber (UH) def. Maddi Osburn/Jaymee-Lee Bulda (BSU) 21-13, 21-16
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Apr 13, 2015 19:10:49 GMT -5
Hawaii Beat
No. 2 SandBows complete pair competition
By Star-Advertiser Staff and News Services
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 13, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 01:32 a.m. HST, Apr 13, 2015
The University of Hawaii women's sand volleyball team advanced four pairs teams to the semifinal round in four different levels, but only one finished as high as second in the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge on Sunday in Hermosa Beach, Calif.
In the final of the bronze bracket, the Rainbow Wahine's Mikayla Tucker and Ka'iwi Schucht lost to USC's Nicolette Martin and Allie Wheeler 15-21, 21-18, 15-12.
Tucker and Schucht took down Grand Canyon's Alex Goodman and Becca Conrad 21-18, 16-21 and 15-10 in the round of 16. They then defeated Santa Clara's Sarah Vaccaro and Katrina Inch 21-15, 21-9 in a quarterfinal and Bria Russ and Jenna Belton from USC 21-15, 21-14 in the semifinal before losing in the final.
The four levels of the pairs bracket play were gold, silver, bronze and 6/7/8 competition.
In the gold bracket quarterfinal, Hawaii's Brittany Tiegs and Nikki Taylor defeated Santa Clara's duo of Mead and Hess 21-16, 21-14 before falling in the semifinal to Pepperdine's Lara Dykstra and Becca Strehlow (score unvailable).
Silver bracket play featured Hawaii's Katie Spieler and Olivia Urban winning their round of 16 match over Grand Canyon's Alex Green and Brooke Razo 21-11, 21-8. Spieler and Urban then won their quarterfinal against Santa Clara's Sabrina Clayton and Danielle Rottman 21-11, 21-13 before falling in the semifinal to Pepperdine's Kelley Larsen and Kellie Woolever, 18-21, 18-21.
In the six through eight flights competition, UH's London Chow and Hannah Zalopany fell to Pepperdine's Samantha Cash and Leanna Schroeder 16-21, 15-21 in the semifinal.
The SandBows end the home portion of the season when they host the Sand Volleyball Showcase on Saturday and the Outrigger Resorts Invitation on Sunday. All matches will be played at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Apr 16, 2015 15:00:54 GMT -5
UH's Sammie Brown and Hannah Rooks team up well
By Cindy Luis, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 16, 2015
Sometimes it IS about the destination.
The journeys that Sammie Brown and Hannah Rooks took to be where they are — as partners for the No. 2 Hawaii sand volleyball team — were as different as they were similar.
Brown, a fifth-year player from Santa Barbara, Calif., is well-traveled in her athletic career, with prep accolades in both indoor and sand prior to a successful setting career at Notre Dame.
Rooks, a sophomore, is even more so geographically, courtesy of her father's U.S. Coast Guard career. She was born in Alaska, spent her early years in Hawaii, had a stellar prep career in Georgia before deciding not to play volleyball her senior year at Kaiser, when her family moved back to Hawaii.
It is that ability to adjust to new environments that has served the two well when teaming for their first — and only — season.
In a sport where chemistry is as key as complementary skill-sets and personalities, Brown and Rooks have successfully bridged the gap in age and experience. They have been solid at the No. 3 spot for the SandBows (13-1), going 17-7, including 8-2 in their past 10 matches heading into this weekend's final home competitions.
"We get along really well, communicate really well," Rooks said. "Sammie has taught me so much.
"We're happy with how the season has gone, but we want to keep working hard and keep getting better. We only have this one year together and we want it to be the best we can make it."
The 6-foot Rooks had a scholarship to play indoor at the University of Georgia, but when former SandBows coach Scott Wong approached her about staying put, Rooks was happy not to make another move.
While Rooks had limited sand experience, playing some tournaments in Waikiki her senior year at Kaiser, the 5-10 Brown grew up playing on the beaches of Santa Barbara. She and junior All-American Katie Spieler were teammates on the sand as well as at Dos Pueblos High and it was that connection that helped bring Brown across the Pacific.
"Our families are really close, our dads were roommates in college and I talked to Katie about her experience here," said Brown, a member of the U.S. Youth National Beach Team that played in the U-21 World Championships in 2009. "She was having an awesome time and loved it.
"Beach is my passion. That Hawaii finished third last year solidified them as one of the top programs. There is such a tradition and history with the sport here. The women's (indoor) team is always successful, the men are No. 1 now. I wanted to be somewhere where I could contend for a national title and we are.
"That was the goal when we started the season. That was the hope coming in. It is taking a lot of hard work, but that is the reality of our season right now. It's motivation every day at practice when you know you're contending to be the best in the country."
Hawaii's only loss has been to undefeated and current No. 1 USC. The SandBows are poised to be a top-2 seed at next month's AVCA Collegiate Sand National Championships at Gulf Shores, Ala.
Brown-Rooks have played a large role in that journey.
"They've been amazing," SandBows coach Jeff Hall said. "Their chemistry has been growing every day. With Hannah fairly new to the beach game, every day is a day of learning and a day to get better, and they have.
"It's been a good pairing. Someone who's smaller but powerful (Brown) with someone who is taller with finesse (Rooks). Hannah has the ability to be very powerful. She could easily be one of our best volleyball players down the line."
Hall said the pair took a big step by winning the silver bracket of the Santa Cruz Challenge two weeks ago.
"They had a championship experience, had to grind it out through a (bracket) and win," he said. "That is very valuable for them in their future matches."
Brown is one of three seniors who will be honored after Sunday's finale match of the Outrigger Resorts Invitational. Also playing in their final home match are two-time All-American Brittany Tiegs, who is paired at No. 1 with Nikki Taylor, and Olivia Urban, who is paired at No. 2 with Spieler.
Hawaii finishes the regular season with the Aloha Invitational at Queen's Beach. Also competing in the pairs event Friday and Saturday are No. 6 Long Beach State, No. 8 UCLA and Saint Mary's.
COLLEGIATE SAND VOLLEYBALL
T.C. Ching Complex courts
With No. 2 Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific, Grand Canyon, and San Jose State.
» Sand Volleyball Showcase: Pairs tournament, Saturday, 9 a.m.
» Outrigger Resorts Invitational: Team duals, Sunday, noon.
» TV: Sunday, 7 p.m., OC Sports.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Apr 17, 2015 16:13:58 GMT -5
SandBows aim to tune up, say aloha to their seniorsBy Cindy Luis, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 17, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / MARCH. 22 Olivia Urban is one of three seniors playing their final home matches this weekend.It hasn't mattered what time zone — Hawaii or California — the mantra for the No. 2 SandBows has been: Wake up. Smile. Play. Win. It has worked pretty well for the Hawaii sand volleyball team, which concludes its home season this weekend on campus at the new T.C. Ching Athletic Complex courts. The SandBows (12-1) host Grand Canyon, San Jose State and Hawaii Pacific in the Sand Volleyball Showcase pairs bracket tournament Saturday, followed by Sunday's Outrigger Resorts Invitational team duals event. Sunday's matches are the final duals that will count toward seeding in next month's AVCA National Championships at Gulf Shores, Ala. Hawaii has all but locked up the No. 2-seed into the event, which has expanded to eight teams from six. "We've been cautioned not to think ahead by Jeff (head coach Hall)," first-year assistant coach Evan Silberstein said. "We are confident about our top-2 seed, but we still need to take care of business this week. "Our win over (Long Beach State last Saturday) was very big. It was a come-from-behind exciting finish and it came from our No. 5 team. You never know where you'll get that deciding point from. It was great that it came from No. 5." Hawaii rallied from down 0-2 against No. 6 Long Beach State during the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge at Hermosa Beach, Calif. Tied at 2-2, Mikayla Tucker and Ka‘iwi Schucht grinded out a 13-21, 22-20, 15-13 victory. They trailed 11-8 in Set 3. "We had no idea it was going to be the deciding match," Tucker said. "So there wasn't too much pressure other than the usual pressure to win. "We were just trying to win, but we did wonder why everyone had lined the court to watch us." It was a critical point that likely kept Hawaii out of being in the discussion as the third seed from the West region or even as the final at-large selection. This year's nationals — the last before the NCAA sanctions it as its 90th sport — will have three teams from both the West and East regions, the automatic qualifier from the Atlantic Sun, and an at-large pick from any region. Long Beach State (11-4) might have solidified its at-large berth with a 3-2 win over No. 8 UCLA (8-2) on Wednesday. Defending champion and No. 4 Pepperdine likely will be the No. 3 seed from the West behind top-ranked USC and Hawaii. Hawaii's focus is on this week, where the SandBows will honor three seniors after Sunday's final match, one televised by OC Sports. Feted will be two-time All-American Brittany Tiegs, part of UH's No. 1 pair; Olivia Urban, half of the No. 2 duo; and Sammie Brown, part of the No. 3 pair. "We're really going to miss all of them, those are tough losses for us," Tucker said. "We call Olivia ‘Mama Liv,' " Schucht added. "She is like the mother of the team. Being a freshman, you're so new and trying to figure everything out. She's helped keep us focused." SANDBOWS VOLLEYBALLAt T.C. Ching Athletic Complex court >> Who: No. 2 Hawaii, Grand Canyon, San Jose State and Hawaii Pacific Sand Volleyball Showcase Pairs tournament, 9 a.m. Saturday Outrigger Resorts Invitational Team duals, noon Sunday >> TV: 7 p.m. Sunday, OC Sports
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