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HONOLULU – On a picture-perfect day in Waikiki, the University of Hawai'i launched its newest sport when the Rainbow Wahine hosted an all-day sand volleyball tournament at the Queen's Beach Sandbox. A perennial indoor power, the Rainbow Wahine showed its prowess in the outdoor game also, dominating the action throughout.  
 
Hundreds of fans turned out as Hawai'i Pacific and Nittaidai of Japan joined UH in the state's inaugural collegiate sand volleyball tournament. The morning action was dubbed “Hawai'i vs. Japan” as UH and HPU took on Nittadai. UH and HPU took 22 of 24 matches from their Japanese visitors with the duo of Shizuka Ishii and Natsuki Iwayama picking up the only Nittadi wins. UH teams went a perfect 14-0 in the morning and did not drop a single set.
 
The afternoon brought a single-elimination championship bracket involving 12 seeded doubles squads—seven from UH and five from HPU. After two rounds of action it was an all-UH semifinal as top seed Elizabeth Stoltzman and Emily Hartong took on No. 12 Kayla Kawamura and Kaela Goodman, while No. 3 seed Jane Croson and Larissa Nordyke faced No. 10 Ginger Long and Elizabeth Blake  
 
Top seeded Hartong and Stoltzman advanced to the finals behind Hartong's 19 kills 14 digs and three aces. There they met No. 3 seed Croson and Nordyke who breezed by Long and Blake in two sets.
 
In an epic final, Hartong and Stoltzman rallied from a set down to take down Croson and Nordyke, 19-21, 21-18, 15-11. Hartong posted 26 kills, eight digs, and two blocks in the win, while Croson had 19 kills, 10 digs, and five aces in a losing effort.
 
The Rainbow Wahine next head to Florida for three events, beginning with its first meeting against a Division I opponent when they play a dual match at Jacksonville on Tuesday, March 27.   
 
 
Hawai'i Tournament Final Results
Morning Session: “Hawai'i vs. Japan”
 
Court 1
M1: Natasha Bell-Sanoe Recca (HPU) def. Saki Maruyama-Naoko Shimahata (NIT) 21-5, 21-13 
M2: Larissa Nordyke-Mita Uiato (UH) def. Hitomi Yamato-Tomoko Takahashi (NIT) 21-4, 21-9                     
M3: Elizabeth Stoltzman-Emily Hartong (UH) def.  Ayumi Nakamura-Mako Kobata (NIT) 21-6, 21-11                       
M4: Pihana Kea-Haley Doerfler (HPU) def. Saki Maruyama-Naoko Shimahata (NIT) 21-8, 21-10
M5: Elizabeth Stoltzman-Jane Croson (UH) def. Hitomi Yamato-Tomoko Takahashi (NIT) 21-5, 21-9                 
M6: Larissa Nordyke-Elizabeth Blake (UH) def. Ayumi Nakamura-Mako Kobata (HPU) 21-13, 21-8     
 
Court 2
M1: Courtney Lelepali-Kaela Goodman (UH) def. Sayuri Tamura-Misaki Matsukawa (NIT) 21-17, 21-19                      
M2: Pihana Kea-Haley Doerfler (HPU) def. Nanami Wasai-Chika Kitamura (NIT) 21-12, 21-9                          
M3: Jane Croson-Elizabeth Blake (UH) def. Haruka Hoshi-Chinami Kakizaki (NIT) 21-4, 21-10                      
M4: Mita Uiato-Ginger Long (UH) def. Sayuri Tamura-Misaki Matsukawa (HPU) 21-12, 21-9                   
M5: Natasha Bell-Sanoe Recca (HPU) def. Nanami Wasai-Chika Kitamura (NIT) 21-14, 21-5                         
M6: Monica Stauber-Emily Hartong (UH) def. Haruka Hoshi-Chinami Kakizaki (HPU)  21-11, 21-17 
 
Court 3
M1: Shizuka Ishii-Natsuki Iwayama (NIT) def. Makamae Recca-Jamie Asuncion (HPU) 21-17, 21-16                      
M2: Kuulei Zalopany-Chelsey Buyuan (HPU) def. Misato Kijima-Chitose Nakagawa (UH) 21-14, 21-7                        
M3: Ginger Long-Monica Stauber (UH) def.  Mai Takahashi-Erika Chuman (NIT) 21-8, 21-5                      
M4: Shizuka Ishii-Natsuki Iwayama (NIT) def. Christina Furrer-Hannah Schuett (HPU) 21-19, 21-18                       
M5: Kayla Kawamura-Alex Griffiths (UH) def. Misato Kijima-Chitose Nakagawa (NIT) 21-13, 21-9                         
M6: Kristina Kam-Kaela Goodman (UH) def. Mai Takahashi-Erika Chuman (NIT) 21-10, 21-13                  
 
Court 4
M1: Alex Griffiths/Jade Vorster (UH) def. Eriko Matsunaga-Reina Nagai (NIT) 21-13 21-13                
M2: Christina Furrer-Hannah Schuett (HPU) def. Akane Tatsumi-Kaho Miyagi 21-9, 21-11                       
M3: Kristina Kam-Kayla Kawamura (UH) def. Mao Umazume-Yumiko Shoji 21-9, 21-14                         
M4: Makamae Recca-Jamie Asuncion (HPU) def. Akane Tatsumi-Kaho Miyagi (NIT) 21-10, 21-12                     
M5: Courtney Lelepali-Jade Vorster (UH) def. Mao Umazume-Yumiko Shoji (NIT) 21-12, 21-12                       
M6: Kuulei Zalopany-Chelsey Buyuan (HPU) def. Eriko Matsunaga-Reina Nagai (NIT) 21-11, 21-18
 
 
Afternoon Session: Single-Elimination Championship Bracket
 
Preliminary Round
#10 Ginger Long-Elizabeth Blake (UH) def. #7 Makamae Recca-Jamie Asuncion (HPU) 21-3, 21-10                                              
#11 Kristina Kam-Jade Vorster (UH) def. #6 Kuulei Zalopany-Chelsey Buyuan (HPU) 17-21, 21-18, 15-10                      
#8 Alex Griffiths-Monica Stauber (UH) def. #9 Christina Furrer-Hannah Schuett (HPU) 20-22, 21-8, 15-13                     
#12 Kayla Kawamura-Kaela Goodman (UH) def. #5 Courtney Lelepali-Mita Uiato (UH) 21-18, 21-17
               
Byes: #1 Elizabeth Stoltzman- Emily Hartong (UH); #2 Natasha Bell-Sanoe Recca (HPU) 
#3 Jane Croson-Larissa Nordyke (UH); #4 Pihana Kea-Haley Doerfler (HPU)                             
 
Quarterfinals
#1 Elizabeth Stoltzman- Emily Hartong (UH) def. #8 Alex Griffiths-Monica Stauber (UH) 26-24, 21-18
#10 Ginger Long-Elizabeth Blake (UH) def.  #2 Natasha Bell-Sanoe Recca (HPU) 21-19, 21-19 
#3 Jane Croson-Larissa Nordyke (UH) def.  #11 Kristina Kam-Jade Vorster (UH) 21-10, 21-12
#12 Kayla Kawamura-Kaela Goodman (UH) def. #4 Pihana Kea-Haley Doerfler (HPU) 21-9, 18-21, 15-6
 
Semifinals
#1 Elizabeth Stoltzman- Emily Hartong (UH) def. #12 Kayla Kawamura-Kaela Goodman (UH) 21-12, 21-14
#3 Jane Croson-Larissa Nordyke (UH) def.  #10 Ginger Long-Elizabeth Blake (UH) 21-8, 21-10
 
Finals
#1 Elizabeth Stoltzman- Emily Hartong (UH) def.  #3 Jane Croson-Larissa Nordyke (UH) 19-21, 21-18, 15-11