LONG BEACH, Calif.  – The  ninth-ranked University of Hawai'i beach volleyball team won two of three matches on the first day of the Big West Challenge Friday at Rosie's Dog Beach. UH was upset by UC Davis, 3-2, before bouncing back with a pair of easy wins over CSUN and CSU Bakersfield. The Rainbow Wahine are now 12-6 on the season and have won 10 of their last 13 matches.
 
After a 13-day layoff, the day started with a historic loss to UC Davis. UH had defeated the Aggies twice just recently with a pair of wins in Honolulu in the OUTRIGGER Queen's Cup. The 'Bows claimed a close 3-2 decision in their last outing on March 12. But the Aggies turned the tables on UH this time. UC Davis secured the upset win as Mia Olen and Madelin Smith clipped Sarah Penner and Ilihia Huddleston 18-21, 21-15, 15-13 on the No. 5 court. It marked UH's first loss against an unranked squad in nine years, ending a string of 105 straight wins. Overall it was just UH's second loss in 108 all-time matches against unranked squads.
 
The 'Bows responded to the tough loss, taking nine of the next 10 points of the day. In their second match of the tournament, the Rainbow Wahine bounced back with a 5-0 sweep of CSUN. UH won in straight sets on four of five courts, including a dominating win by Megan Widener and Lea Kruse at the No. 5 court. Paired for the first time this season, the duo trounced the Matador's Abbey Sweeting and Madison Klungel 21-4, 21-14.
 
UH concluded the day with a 4-1 victory over CSU Bakersfield. The 'Bows had little trouble with the Roadrunners, scoring the first four points before dropping a three-set match on Court No. 3. Brooke Van Sickle and Kaylee Glagau capped a perfect 3-0 day with a 21-18, 21-18 win over Cameron Solberg and Milica Vukobrat at the top flight. UH improved to a perfect 16-0 combined all-time against CSUN and CSUB.
 
The Big West Challenge resumes on Saturday morning as the 'Bows will face a tougher slate with two ranked teams on the docket. The Rainbow Wahine take on No. 15 and host Long Beach State at 6:30 a.m. HT, followed by a match versus Sacramento State at 9 a.m. HT. UH will then concluded the weekend tournament with a showdown vs. No. 12 Cal Poly at 11:30 a.m. HT.
 
 
UC Davis 3, Hawai'i 2
1. Van Sickle/Glagau (UH) def. Chelsea Maeglin/Colleen McGuire (UCD) 21-10, 21-13
2. Megan Luly/Ashlee Goycoochea (UCD) def. Anna Maidment/Sofia Russo (UH) 21-18, 21-19
3. Riley Wagoner/Kylin Loker (UH) def. Sam Lazenby/Alicia Letvin (UCD) 21-9, 21-15
4. Tabitha Mitchell/Kylie Miller (UCD) def. Jaime Santer/Widener (UH) 21-15, 21-14
5. Olen/Smith (UCD) def. Penner/Huddleston (UH) 18-21, 21-15, 15-13
Order of finish: 3,1,4,2,5
 
Hawai'i 5, CSUN 0
1. Van Sickle/Glagau (UH) def. Emily Sparks/Lauren Eknoian (CSUN) 21-17, 21-15
2. Maidment/Russo (UH) def. Seyvion Waggoner/True McCullough (CSUN) 21-13, 21-14
3. Wagoner/Loker (UH) def. Darbi Honeycutt/Mikaela Maughan (CSUN) 21-12, 21-17
4. Huddleston/Penner (UH) def. Victoria Rogers/Kailey Klein (CSUN) 17-21, 24-22, 15-13
5. Widener/Kruse (UH) def. Abbey Sweeting/Madison Klungel (CSUN) 21-4, 21-14
Order of finish: 5,2,3,1,4
 
Hawai'i 4, CSU Bakersfield 1
1. Van Sickle/Glagau (UH) def. Solberg/Vukobrat (CSUB) 21-18, 21-18
2. Maidment/SRusso (UH) def. Anna Unke/Brooke Boiseau (CSUB) 21-8, 21-17
3. Sophia Hladyniuk/Hana Makonova (CSUB) def. Penner/Loker (UH) 21-8, 17-21, 15-10
4. Wagoner/Huddleston (UH) def. Alaina Gendale/Seleisa Elisaia (CSUB) 21-14, 21-15
5. Kruse/Widener (UH) def. Paige Calvin/Hayley McCluskey (CSUB) 22-20, 21-16
Order of finish: 4,2,1,5,3