The ninth-ranked University of Hawaii beach volleyball team opened the Heineken Queen’s Cup with sweeps of Texas and Nebraska on Friday at Queen’s Beach in Waikiki.
The Rainbow Wahine greeted Texas with a 5-0 win in the first match for the Longhorns’ fledgling program to open the tournament. Texas’ roster is composed primarily of members of the national champion indoor team and UH’s sweep included a win on the No. 2 court with Kylin Loker and Riley Wagoner sweeping Kamehameha graduates Keonilei Akana and Devin Kahahawai 21-14, 21-14.
Loker and Wagoner later pulled out a three-set win over Nebraska’s Harper Murray and Merritt Beason and UH’s No. 3 duo of Sofia Russo and Anna Maidment rallied past Ally Battenhoust and Bergen Reilly 18-21, 21-18, 15-7 to complete the sweep.
The tournament continues today with UH (9-3) facing Oregon at 10:15 a.m. and Washington at 2 p.m.
Hawaii holds off Fordham in softball
The Rainbow Wahine started fast, then held on to defeat Fordham 4-2 Friday on the second day of the Outrigger Rainbow Wahine Classic.
The Rainbow Wahine (15-7) scored all four runs in the first two innings. Xiao Gin scored the game’s first run in the first inning off an RBI single by Haley Johnson. In the second inning, the ’Bows plated two more when Cierra Yamamoto’s single brought home Maycen Gibbs and Cira Bartolotti. Yamamoto later scored on a foul flyout by Gin.
Hawaii starter Briana Lopez cruised early, retiring the first 11 Fordham hitters. Lopez took a no-hit bid into the fifth, but surrendered two runs in the sixth that cut Hawaii’s lead in half. Lopez eventually settled down, striking out the side in the seventh to end the game. Lopez finished the game allowing three hits while striking out 10, improving to 8-3 this season.
Hawaii will play a pair of games today, taking on Iowa State at 3 p.m. and Fordham (4-12) at 5 p.m.
Tait-Jones earns All-Region honors
Hawaii Hilo guard Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones was voted to the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association Men’s Basketball All-West Region second team on Thursday.
Tait-Jones, a sophomore from Wellington, New Zealand, averaged 17.6 points and 9.2 rebounds this season for the Vulcans.
The All-PacWest first-team selection surpassed 1,000 career points during the season.
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HEINEKIN QUEEN’S CUP
Friday
Hawaii 5, Texas 0
1. Brooke Van Sickle/Kaylee Glagau (UH) def. Molly Phillips/Marina Crownover (TEX)21-18, 21-8
2. Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) def. Keonilei Akana/Devin Kahahawai (TEX) 21-14, 21-14
3. Sofia Russo/Lea Kruse (UH) def. Sydney Helmers/Madisen Skinner (TEX) 21-11, 21-18
4. Jaime Santer/Ilihia Huddleston (UH) def. Bella Bergmark/Reilly Heinrich (TEX) 21-15, 21-11
5. Chandler Cowell/Sydney Miller (UH) def. Jordyn Byrd/Jenna Wenaas (TEX) 21-14, 21-15
Hawaii 5, Nebraska 0
1 Brooke Van Sickle/Kaylee Glagau (UH) def. Bekka Allick/Lexi Rodriguez (NEB) 21-7, 21-12
2 Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) def. Harper Murray/Merritt Beason (NEB) 17-21, 21-14, 15-7
3 Sofia Russo/Anna Maidment (UH) def. Ally Batenhoust/Bergen Reilly (NEB) 18-21, 21-18, 15-7
4 Jaime Santer/Ilihia Huddleston (UH) def.Laney Choboy/Lindsay Krause (NEB)21-14, 21-18
5 Chandler Cowell/Sydney Miller (UH) def. Andi Jackson/Maisie Boesiger (NEB) 21-12, 21-10
