Arkansas tops 2022 Maui Invitational field

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The 2022 Maui Invitational field was announced on Thursday, headlined by Arkansas, which reached the Elite Eight in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

The field will include four other 2021 NCAA Tournament teams: Ohio State, San Diego State, Texas Tech and Creighton. Arizona, Louisville and Cincinnati round out the field. The Maui event is scheduled for Nov. 21-23 at the Lahaina Civic Center.

The tournament was moved to Asheville, N.C., last year due to the coronavirus pandemic but returns to the islands this year.

BeachBows get payback against LBSU

Hawaii’s Pani Napoleon and Jaime Santer pulled out a three-set win to give the 16th-ranked Rainbow Wahine beach volleyball team the clinching point in a 3-2 win over No. 15 Long Beach State on Thursday in UH’s home opener at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.

Napoleon and Santer went on a 6-0 run to open up an 11-5 lead in the third set of the No. 2 flight. LBSU’s Nicci Reinking and Katie Kennedy held off two match points before Napoleon’s shot off the tape fell in and UH improved to 6-4 this season. Napoleon and Santer remained undefeated at 6-0 since being paired up last week.

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UH earned the first point when Anna Maidment and Sofia Russo rallied for a 19-21, 21-18, 16-14 win at the No. 5 flight. LBSU’s Alice Pratesi and Skyler German swept at No. 4 and UH went up 2-1 with a 21-15, 21-15 win from Harlee Kekauoha and Kylin Loker at No. 3.

Shortly after Napoleon and Santer clinched the match, LBSU’s Mari Molina and Tyler Spriggs finished off a 21-19, 21-18 win over Amber Igiede and Brooke Van Sickle at No. 1.

The BeachBows and Beach meet again in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.

UH water polo team tops Long Beach State

Hawaii center Lalelei Mata’afa scored three goals in the eighth-ranked Rainbow Wahine water polo team’s 10-5 win over No. 16 Long Beach State on Thursday at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.

Libby Gault and Olivia Kistler added two goals each and Molly DiLalla made nine saves for the Wahine (2-1, 1-1 Big West) in their home opener.

UH and Long Beach State meet again at noon on Saturday.