One flew five time zones, crossing one ocean.

One had a 4-hour drive, crossing one state line.

Friday, they collide at the same intersection, the sand courts at Gulf Shores, Ala. Hawaii and Florida State each have two pairs vying for the doubles title at the inaugural AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championships, with the Rainbow Wahine teams of Jane Croson-Ashley Lee (17-5) seeded No. 8 and Emily Hartong-Elizabeth Ka‘aihue Stoltzman (21-7) No. 12.

The 16 pairs are divided into four pools, each playing three matches Friday. The teams will be reseeded based on pool-play results for Sunday’s single-elimination bracket play.

Croson and Lee are in the same pool as the top seed, Florida State’s Aurora Newgard and Brittany Tiegs, which has FSU coach Danalee Bragado Corso more concerned than her counterpart, Hawaii’s Scott Wong. Croson and Lee have two wins over Newgard and Tiegs this season, one for the title of the North Florida Tournament in Jacksonville four weeks ago.

"We do have the No. 1 seed, but we weren’t too thrilled to see Jane and Ashley in the same pool," said Corso, a Punahou product and the only full-time collegiate sand coach in the country. "I am kind of surprised that we have done as well as we have this year and I’m very pleased with our progress.

"I thought we’d been competitive, but I didn’t think we’d be above USC or Hawaii. We were not expecting to play for the national championship."

Florida State is one of four schools competing for the inaugural team title Saturday. The others are Pepperdine and Long Beach State from the West and, as mandated by the selection committee, a second team from the East — College of Charleston.

That Florida State is playing for both the team title and has two doubles teams playing for the pairs championship is a mixed blessing, Wong said.

"For us, we’ll be able to go hard Friday, rest, relax and watch Saturday, then go hard Sunday," Wong said. "Physically, Florida State shouldn’t be as fresh Sunday but, at the same time, they’re going to be getting extra touches Saturday that we won’t.

"You can look at it both ways, but I’m liking our situation. All the pools are going to be tough, you have 16 good teams. No matter what, the reality is you have to be good on Friday and be great on Sunday."

Unlike the challenging windy and cold conditions two weekends ago in Hermosa Beach, Calif., Wong said the weather was supposed to be ideal this week.

"The venue’s perfect," he said. "Great sand, great weather."