HONOLULU - The No. 3 University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine sand volleyball team returned to the Queens Beach Sand Box for a pair of dual matches on Wednesday. The Rainbow Wahine blanked Arizona, 5-0, before falling to No. 2 USC in a 3-2 barn-burner. With the split, UH's record moved to 6-2 on the season with both losses coming against the top two teams in the country (also No. 1 Pepperdine).
 
UH handily defeated Arizona in the first match of the day winning in straight sets on all five courts. The closest match came at the No. 2 position where the pair of Katie Spieler and Nikki Taylor (UH) defeated McKenna Witt and Madison Witt  27-25, 21-15. The top UH tandem of Karissa Cook and Brittany Tiegs easily dispatched Madi Kingdon and former Rainbow Wahine player Jane Croson, 21-11, 21-13.
 
The second match against the Trojans was as close as it could get.  After falling behind 2-0, UH evened the score up with a three-set win by Tiegs and Cook on court No. 1 over Kirby Burnham and Sara Hughes and a thrilling 22-20, 25-23 win by Ali Longo and Ginger Long over Sam Hirschmann and Natasja Siljkovic on court No. 3. It all came down to the No. 2 position as the tandem of Alexa Strange and Kelly Claes squeezed out a 9-21, 21-19, 15-13 victory over Spieler and Taylor to clinch the match for the Trojans, 3-2.

USC defeated Arizona, 4-1, in the day's other dual match.
 
Hawai'i returns to action Thursday when the Rainbow Wahine take on No. 8 Nebraska at 1:00 p.m. at Queens Beach. USC and Nebraska will precede that match at 12:00 p.m.
 
No. 3 Hawai'I def.  Arizona 5-0
Order of Finish:  1, 5, 3, 4, 2
1. Brittany Tiegs/Karissa Cook (UH) def.  Jane Croson/Madi Kingdon (UA) 21-11, 21-13
2. Katie Spieler/Nikki Taylor (UH) def. McKenna Witt/Madison Witt (UA) 27-25, 21-15
3. Ali Longo/Ginger Long (UH) def. Ronni  Lewis/Taylor Arizobal (UA) 21-16, 21-16
4. Hannah Rooks/Karlee Riggs (UH) def. Sarah Seiber/Rachel Rhoades (UA) 21-17, 21-16
5. London Chow/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Allie Cook/Penina Snuka (UA) 21-14, 21-7
 
No. 2 USC def. Arizona 4-1
Order of Finish:  1, 5, 2, 3, 4
1. Kirby Burnham/Sara Hughes (USC) def. Jane Croson/Madi Kingdon (UA) 21-15, 21-16
2. Alexa Strange/Kelly Claes (USC) def.  McKenna Witt/Madison Witt (UA) 21-15, 21-14
3. Sam Hirschmann/Natasja Siljkovic (USC) def.  Ronni Lewis/Taylor Arizobal (UA) 21-17, 21-17
4. Sarah Seiber/Rachel Rhoades (UA) def. Eve Ettinger/Bria Russ (USC)  21-13, 12-21, 15-7
5. Nicolette Martin/Brooke Fournier (USC) def. Allie Cook/Penina Snuka (UA) 21-11, 21-7
 
No. 2 USC def. No. 3 Hawai'i 3-2  
Order of Finish:  5, 4, 1, 3, 2
1. Brittany Tiegs/Karissa Cook (UH) def. Kirby Burnham/Sara Hughes (USC) 21-18, 22-24, 15-12
2. Alexa Strange/Kelly Claes (USC) def. Katie Spieler/Nikki Taylor (UH) 9-21, 21-19, 15-13
3. Ali Longo/Ginger Long (UH) def.  Sam Hirschmann/Natasja Siljkovic (USC) 22-20, 25-23
4. Eve Ettinger/Bria Russ (USC) def. London Chow/Olivia Urban (UH) 21-17, 25-23
5. Nicolette Martin/Brooke Fournier (USC) def. Hannah Rooks/Karlee Riggs (UH)) 21-18, 21-13