HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i women's sand volleyball team concluded the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge on Saturday, headlined by Mikayla Tucker and Ka'iwi Schucht who advanced to the championship match of the bronze bracket.
 
Tucker and Schucht won the opening set 21-15 but saw the USC pair of Nicolette Martin and Allie Wheeler rally for a 15-21, 21-18, 15-12 win in what turned out to be an epic final. The UH tandem had won seven straight sets in the tournament before their second set loss.
 
Hawai'i had a solid showing overall with one UH pair advancing to at least the semifinals in each competition. Brittany Tiegs and Nikki Taylor swept Santa Clara in the quarterfinals of the gold bracket before falling to Pepperdine's Lara Dykstra and Becca Strehlow in the semifinal. Katie Spieler and Olivia Urban swept their first two matches of the silver bracket but suffered a 21-18, 21-18 defeat at the hands of eventual champions Kelley Larsen and Kellie Woolever of Pepperdine.
 
The 6-8 flights also squared off in a 13-team competition with UH's No. 6 pair of London Chow and Hannah Zalopany also falling to an eventual tourney winner in Pepperdine's Samantha Cash and Leanna Schroeder.
 
The 'Bows close out the home portion of their schedule next week when they host the Sand Volleyball Showcase on Saturday, Apr. 18 and the Outrigger Resorts Invitational for Senior Night on Sunday, Apr. 19. All matches will be played at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
 
Scores and Results
Gold Bracket
Brittany Tiegs/Nikki Taylor (UH) def. Mead/Nikki Hess (SCU) 21-16, 21-14 (Quarterfinal)
Lara Dykstra/Becca Strehlow (PEPP) def. Brittany Tiegs/Nikki Taylor (UH) 16-21, 22-20, 15-12 (Semifinal)
 
Silver Bracket
Katie Spieler/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Alex Green/Brooke Razo (GCU) 21-11, 21-8 (Round of 16)
Katie Spieler/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Sabrina Clayton/Danielle Rottman (SCU) 21-11, 21-13 (Quarterfinal)
Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEPP) def. Katie Spieler/Olivia Urban (UH) 21-18, 21-18 (Semifinal)
 
Bronze Bracket
Mikayla Tucker/Ka'iwi Schucht (UH) def. Alex Goodman/Becca Conrad (GCU) 21-18, 16-21, 15-10 (Round of 16)
Mikayla Tucker/Ka'iwi Schucht (UH) def. Sarah Vaccaro/Katrina Inch (SCU) 21-15, 21-9 (Quarterfinal)
Mikayla Tucker/Ka'iwi Schucht (UH) def. Bria Russ/Jenna Belton (USC) 21-15, 21-14 (Semifinal)
Nicolette Martin/Allie Wheeler (USC) def. Mikayla Tucker/Ka'iwi Schucht (UH) 15-21, 21-18, 15-12 (Final)
 
6,7,8's Competition
Samantha Cash/Leanna Schroeder (PEPP) def. London Chow/Hannah Zalopany (UH) 21-16, 21-15 (Semifinal)