MALIBU, Calif. - The University of Hawai'i women's beach volleyball team opened the 2016 season by finishing 1-3 over the weekend at the Pepperdine Kick-off Tournament at Zuma Beach.
 
On Saturday, the Rainbow Wahine dropped a 4-1 decision to defending national champion USC with UH's lone win at No. 5 as Hannah Rooks/Ka'iwi Schucht won in three sets over Jo Kremer/Zoe Nightingale. Later in the day, Rooks and Schucht played the decisive point against No. 6 UCLA but lost in a close three-set match 29-31, 25-23, 15-9 to Laurel Weaver/Julie Cansani as the Rainbow Wahine fell to the Bruins, 3-2.
 
On Sunday, UH began the day with a 4-1 setback to host Pepperdine, who finished 4-0 in the round-robin tournament. Hawai'i's lone victory occurred at No. 2 where the new tandem of Katie Spieler and Emily Maglio took down Kaity Bailey and Delaney Knudsen, 21-19, 21-16. The duo later teamed up at No. 1 court against No. 4 Long Beach State and defeated Rachel Nieto and Kobi Pekich, 21-18, 21-13 in UH's 4-1 win over the 49ers.
 
The Rainbow Wahine return to Honolulu to host dual matches versus Hawai'i Pacific and TCU, March 12 at Queen's Beach in Waikiki, and USC, March 15 at Ching Complex. UH will then host the Spring Break Championship, March 18-19, at Ching which includes Loyola Marymount, USC, and Nebraska. Hawai'i closes out the homestand with a dual match against Nebraska, March 20 at Ching.
 
Pepperdine Kick-Off Day Day Results
#2 Pepperdine 4, #3 Hawai'i 1
Sunday, March 6, 2016 | Malibu, Calif. | Zuma Beach
No. 1 Heidi Dyer/Taylor Racich (PEP) def. Mikayla Tucker/Nikki Taylor (HAW) – 21-13, 21-10
No. 2 Katie Spieler/Emily Maglio (HAW) def. Kaity Bailey/Delaney Knudsen (PEP) – 21-19, 21-16
No. 3 Skylar Caputo/Corinne Quiggle (PEP) def. Lara Schreiber/Ari Homayun (HAW) – 21-12, 21-10
No. 4 Madalyn Roh/Anika Wilson (PEP) def. Ka'iwi Schucht/Hannah Rooks (HAW) – 21-12, 13-21, 15-11
No. 5 Samantha Cash/Sarah Seiber (PEP) def. Ginger Long/Hannah Zalopany (HAW) – 21-15, 21-10
 
#3 Hawai'i 4, #4 Long Beach State 1
Sunday, March 6, 2016 | Malibu, Calif. | Zuma Beach
No. 1 Katie Spieler/Emily Maglio (HAW) def. Rachel Nieto/Kobi Pekich (LBSU) – 21-18, 21-13
No. 2 Nikki Taylor/Mikayla Tucker (HAW) def. Sammee Thomas/Nele Barber (LBSU) – 21-18, 21-15
No. 3 Ari Homayun/Lara Schreiber (HAW) def. Jenelle Hudson/Ciana Wagner (LBSU) – 21-15, 21-6
No. 4 Ka'iwi Schucht/Hannah Rooks (HAW) def. Mykah Wilson/Zoyia Konstantopoulou (LBSU) – 21-19, 21-9
No. 5 Morea Wagner/Megan Kruiohof (LBSU) def. Tai Manu-Olevao/Hi'ilawe Huddleston (HAW) – 18-21, 21-18, 17-15
 
#1 USC 4, #3 Hawai'i 1
Saturday, March 5, 2016 | Malibu, Calif. | Zuma Beach
No. 1 Sara Hughes/Kelly Claes (USC) def. Mikayla Tucker/Nikki Taylor (HAW) - 21-11, 21-17
No. 2 Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC) def. Katie Spieler/Lara Schreiber (HAW) – 28-30, 21-15, 21-19
No. 3 Allie Wheeler/Nicolette Martin (USC) def. Ari Homayun/Emily Maglio HAW) - 21-16, 21-14
No. 4 Abril Bustamante/Jenna Belton (USC) def. Ginger Long/Hannah Zalopany (HAW) - 22-20, 21-19
No. 5 Hannah Rooks/Ka'iwi Schucht (HAW) def. Jo Kremer/Zoe Nightingale (USC) – 21-11, 19-21, 15-9
 
#6 UCLA 3, #3 Hawai'i 2
Saturday, March 5, 2016 | Malibu, Calif. | Zuma Beach
No. 1 Mikayla Tucker/Nikki Taylor (HAW) def. Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara (UCLA) - 21-18, 16-21, 15-9
No. 2 Elise Zappia/Isabelle Carey (UCLA) def. Katie Spieler/Lara Schreiber (HAW) - 23-21, 27-25
No. 3 Ari Homayun/Emily Maglio (HAW) def. Kamila Tan/Ivey Schmitt (UCLA) - 21-19, 21-16
No. 4 Zana Muno/Reily Buechler (UCLA) def. Ginger Long/Hannah Zalopany (HAW) - 15-21, 21-16, 15-13
No. 5 Laurel Weaver/Julie Cansani (UCLA) def. Hannah Rooks/Ka'iwi Schucht (HAW) - 29-31, 25-23, 15-9