GULF SHORES, Ala. – Both of the University Hawai`i's tandems were eliminated in the opening round of Sunday's pairs competition at the inaugural AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships.
 
No. 7 seed Jane Croson and Ashley Lee lost to 10th-seeded Sara Shaw and Geena Urango of USC, 16-21, 21-19, 15-11. Meanwhile, eight-seeded Elizabeth Stoltzman and Emily Hartong, fell to to Long Beach State's Haleigh Hampton and Chelsea Cabrajac, 22-20, 21-15.
 
For Croson and Lee it was another tough loss. All three of their setbacks this weekend, including its previous two in Friday's pool play, came in three-set fashion. Hartong and and Stoltzman also had a pair of close three-set losses on Friday and suffered another tight loss in Sunday's competition.
 
 After capturing the team competition on Saturday, Pepperdine pulled off a championship sweep as the Waves' Caitlin Racich and Summer Ross emerged from the 16-team bracket to win the pairs title. The duo defeated Caitlin Ledoux and Tara Roenicke of Long Beach State in three sets.
 
The AVCA Championships concluded a successful inaugural season for Rainbow Wahine sand volleyball. Hawai`i was among 16 Division I programs this year competing in the NCAA's newest emerging sport.