HONOLULU – The No. 5 University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine beach volleyball team (13-8) wrapped tournament action and the regular season on Saturday at the Outrigger Resorts Aloha Invitational on Queen's Beach, finishing as runner-up to defending National Champion and current No. 1 Southern Cal.

The 'SandBows' slipped early in the winners bracket final, taking a 5-0 defeat from the Trojans to open up on Saturday. However, UH bounced back in the afternoon match versus the upstart No. 16 Grand Canyon team, featuring All-Americans Shannon Dugan and Mackenzie Phelps. The Lopes had earlier defeated No. 6 Long Beach State and were coming in streaking to keep their season alive.

Their hopes were quickly dashed by the SandBows, who earned a convincing 5-0 straight-set sweep victory to set up an afternoon rematch with USC. Televised on tape delay, the final will be telecast to a national television audience on CBS Sports Network in May. 

In the second go-around, Hawai'i fought hard but fell short in an abbreviated dual, 3-0. All American Nikki Taylor and partner Ka'iwi Shucht were edged in three sets by fellow All-American beach players Sophie Bukovich and Alexa Strange at the No. 2 position, 21-14, 18-21, 15-11. Action at the No. 3 was similarly tight, where Hannah Zalopany and Lara Schreiber led early but eventually succumbed to the late-set comeback from the veteran USC pair of Nicolette Martin and Ali Wheeler to claim the 21-17, 22-20 win.

With UH down 0-2, all eyes turned to Katie Spieler and Emily Maglio to take down national pair champions Sara Hughes and Kelly Claes. Despite a valiant effort, the duo eventual fell and so went the tournament trophy Paddle to the Trojans after the 21-14, 21-14 USC win.

In addition to the final appearance for the team duals, Hi'ilawe Huddleston and Gianna Guinasso earned the top spot in pool pairs play (exhibition), defeating USC's Terese Cannon and Katrina Kernochan, 21-19, 20-22, 15-13, upending the team which defeated them in Friday's pool play for the win in the final. The tandem of Clare-Marie Anderson and Casey Castillo also finished third in pool pairs play, but were knocked out by Huddleston/Guinasso on Friday.

The second place team finish is another strong one for Hawai'i and all but cements its status as top contender for the wildcard selection to the eight-team NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships, to be held at Gulf Shores, Ala. from May 6-8.

Next up for the 'Bows is a likely rematch with rival Long Beach State for the coveted inaugural Big West Conference title. Big West Championships action starts on Friday, April 29 in Huntington Beach, Calif. and will culminate in the conference final on Saturday, April 30.

NCAA selection will take place on Sunday, May 1, where Hawai'i looks to take its place among the nation's elite in search of the first-ever official NCAA Championship.

No. 1 USC 5, No. 5 Hawai'i 0 
2016 Outrigger Resorts Aloha Invitational Final 
Queen's Beach, Honolulu, O'ahu
Saturday, April 23, 2016 
Winners Bracket
1. Sara Hughes/Kelly Claes (USC) def. Katie Spieler/Emily Maglio (UH), 21-10, 21-15.
2. Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC) def. Nikki Taylor/Ka'iwi Schucht (UH), 21-18, 21-16.
3. Allie Wheeler/Nicolette Martin (USC) def. Lara Schreiber/Hannah Zalopany (UH), 21-9, 19-21, 15-9.
4. Abril Bustamante/Jenna Belton (USC) def. Ginger Long/Mikayla Tucker (UH), 21-19, 21-16.
5. Josephine Kremer/Zoe Nightingale (USC) def. Hannah Rooks/Ari Homayun (UH), 21-18, 21-12.

No. 5 Hawai'i 5, No. 16 Grand Canyon 0 
2016 Outrigger Resorts Aloha Invitational Final 
Queen's Beach, Honolulu, O'ahu
Saturday, April 23, 2016 
Consolation/Contender Bracket
1. Katie Spieler/Emily Maglio (UH) def. Mackenzie Phelps/Shannon Dugan (GCU), 25-23, 21-12.
2. Ka'iwi Schucht/Nikki Taylor (UH) def.  Molly Turner/Aleksandra Wachowicz (GCU), 21-16, 21-17.
3. Lara Schreiber/Hannah Zalopany (UH) def. Brooke Razo/Emilee Erichsen (GCU), 21-14, 21-14.
4. Ginger Long/Mikayla Tucker (UH) def. Kami Dickerson/Jordyn Sanchez (GCU), 21-17, 21-12.
5. Hannah Rooks/Ari Homayun (UH) def. Rebecca Conrad/Chloe Jenkins (GCU), 21-15, 21-12.

No. 1 USC 3, No. 5 Hawai'i 0 
2016 Outrigger Resorts Aloha Invitational Final 
Queen's Beach, Honolulu, O'ahu
Saturday, April 23, 2016 
Tournament Final
1. Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. Emily Maglio/Katie Spieler (UH); 21-14, 21-14 
2. Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC) def. Ka'iwi Schucht/Nikki Taylor (UH); 21-14, 18-21, 15-11 
3. Nicolette Martin/Allie Wheeler (USC) def. Lara Schreiber/Hannah Zalopany (UH); 21-17, 22-20 
4. Jenna Belton/Abril Bustamante (USC) def. Ginger Long/Mikayla Tucker (UH); 21-15, 16-12 DNF 
5. Jo Kremer/Zoe Nightingale (USC) def. Ari Homayun/Hannah Rooks (UH); 19-21, 14-7 DNF 

Outrigger Resorts Aloha Invitational Invitational Pairs Final (Exhibition)
Hi'ilawe Huddleston/Gianna Guinasso (UH) def. Terese Cannon/Katrina Kernochan (USC); 21-19, 20-22, 15-13