No. 2 SandBows complete pair competition

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.

Kuehu repeats as top Wahine hoops player

Senior Shawna-Lei Kuehu won the prestigious Ah Chew Goo Achievement Award for the Hawaii women’s basketball team on Sunday night.

Kuehu won the same award, which is given to the player who attained "basketball excellence through dedication, determination and perseverance" last year. She was also named the program’s most valuable player.

Morgan Mason left the annual banquet at Ala Moana’s Hibiscus Ballroom with the academic award and Ashleigh Karaitiana earned the Hustle Player Award for the second year in a row.

Players and coaches also received their many Big West honors at the banquet.

Sharks and Vulcans split in softball

Hawaii Hilo routed Hawaii Pacific 9-1 in the opener before Hawaii Pacific took down Hawaii Hilo 8-2 in a PacificWest Conference doubleheader at Howard A. Okita Field in Kaneohe on Sunday.

Amanda Lara recorded a double and drove in three runs and Vanessa Salinas scattered seven hits over six innings while striking out five in the opener for UHH (28-16, 9-5).

The Sharks (21-17, 11-11) responded in the second game by scoring three runs in the second inning and four in the third to chase the Vulcans starting pitcher Danielle Wilson. Hawaii Pacific’s right fielder Kiana Wolfe went 3-3, with a triple and drove in three runs.

Hawaii Hilo and HPU split in baseball

Hawaii Hilo edged Hawaii Pacific in the opener 5-4, while Hawaii Pacific took the second game 14-2 in a PacificWest Conference doubleheader on Sunday at Hans L’Orange Park.

Phillip Steering drove in two runs, while teammate Samuel Kim broke the 4-all tie in the top half of the ninth inning with an RBI single to left field.

Hawaii Pacific (18-19, 12-6 PacWest) responded in Game 2 with 15 hits, including three by shortstop Tyler Tokunaga, and a three-run homer by designated hitter Chad Bolibol in the home half of the fourth inning. The Vulcans (7-30, 5-23) managed just three hits and starting pitcher Michael Slifer lasted just three innings.

Remembering Cartwright

The Friends of Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr. will meet Friday at 11 a.m. at Oahu Cemetery to honor the 195th birthday of the father of modern baseball.

Cartwright, who moved from New York to Hawaii in 1849, is credited with establishing the current rules of baseball, including a diamond-shaped infield, the bases set at 90 feet apart, three outs in an inning and nine players on defense.

Cartwright, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938, also was the first licensed Honolulu Fire Chief, founder of the Honolulu Library and an adviser to the Hawaii monarchy.

The public is invited to attend the free event. For more information, contact Patrick "Korky" Gallagher at 216-2574.