HONOLULU  – The  10th-ranked University of Hawai'i beach volleyball team concluded its opening weekend of the 2023 season by finishing in third place in the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic Saturday at Queen's Beach.
 
The BeachBows (3-3) split a pair of matches on the final day of the tournament, falling to ninth-ranked Stanford, 3-2, in the semifinals and blanking Saint Mary's in the third place match. Top-ranked UCLA defeated Stanford, 4-1 for the championship.
 
In the first semifinal of the day, the BeachBows grabbed the first set in three of the five courts. Down 1-0, the team of Kaylee Glagau and Brooke Van Sickle evened the score with a straight set win at No. 2 court. The Cardinal surged ahead 2-1 with a win at Court 5 then clinched the dual with a come-from-behind three-set victory at Court 3 over UH's Sophia Russo and Lea Kruse. Kylin Loker and Riley Wagoner gutted out a three-set win at No. 1 for Hawai'i's second point.
 
Later in the day, UH jumped out to one-set leads on four of the five courts against Saint Mary's. The duo of Chandler Cowell and Sydney Miller put the 'Bows on the board with an easy sweep at Court 5. Moments later Loker and Wagoner won their match at No. 2 for a 2-0 lead. The final three matches went to a third set with Ilihia Huddleston and Sophie Buschmann clinching the dual with a 15-8 win in their Court 4 match-up.
 
Van Sickle went 5-1 over the three days including a 3-0 mark with Glagau.
  
UH will next head to the road for the first time this year when they compete against Big West rivals Cal Poly and Long Beach State in the Best of the West tournament. The two-day event runs March 4 and 5 in Laguna Beach, Calif.
 
Stanford 3 Hawai'i 2
1. Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) def. Charlie Eckstrom/Kate Reilly 19-21, 22-20, 15-11
2. Kaylee Glagau/Brooke Van Sickle (UH) def. Maya Harvey/Maddy Kriz 21-17, 23-21
3. Taylor Wilson/Line Andersson def. Sofia Russo/Lea Kruse (UH) 15-21, 21-18, 15-9
4. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent def. Ilihia Huddleston/Sophie Buschmann (UH) 21-16, 22-20
5. Sophie Kubiak/Phoenix Clark def. Caprice Lorenzo/Sarah Burton (UH) 18-21, 21-14, 15-12
Order of finish: 4,2,5,3,1
 
Hawai'i 5 Saint Mary's 0
1. Kaylee Glagau/Brooke Van Sickle (UH) def. Daniella Kensinger/Hawley Harrer 21-13, 18-21, 15-12
2. Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) def. Poala Peralta/Genevieve Bane 21-16, 21-7
3. Ilihia Huddleston/Sophie Buschmann (UH) def. Karmin Brown/Hanna Couch 21-16, 18-21, 15-8
4. Sofia Russo/Lea Kruse (UH) def. Sadie Shipman/Allie Cataldo 14-21, 21-15, 15-11
5. Chandler Cowell/Sydney Miller (UH) def. Angie Bour/Cameron Martinez 21-10, 21-12
Order of finish: 5,2,3,4,1
 
Saturday's Results
Quarterfinal: Saint Mary's 3, Stephen F. Austin 2
Semifinal #1: Stanford 3, Hawai'i 2
Semifinal #2: UCLA 5, Saint Mary's 0
3rd Place Match: Hawai'i 5, Saint Mary's 0
Championship Match: UCLA vs. Stanford
 
Individual Awards
Aloha Spirit: Hawley Harrer, SMC
Best Attacker: Brooke Van Sickle, UH
Best Defender: Maggie Boyd, UCLA
Best Blocker: Charlie Ekstrom, STAN
Most Outstanding: Lexy Denaburg, UCLA