BeachBows Fall Short In Big West Championship

HONOLULU – The University of Hawaii women's beach volleyball team's quest for a Big West Championship crown came to a bitter close with a pair of close losses to rivals Long Beach State and Cal Poly Saturday at Queen's Beach. The Rainbow Wahine (27-8) fell by identical 3-2 counts while failing to advance to the tournament finals for the first time in the seven-year history of the event.

No. 2 seed Long Beach State (24-14), ranked 11th-nationally, captured it's first-ever tournament title while ending Cal Poly's (15-25) three-year reign as conference champions. Meanwhile, three-time champion Hawai'i continues to seek its first title since 2018.

UH entered the tournament as the top seed after going a combined 10-0 against the Big West in the regular-season. The 'Bows opened the tournament Friday with a 4-1 win over Cal Poly on Friday, but the 'Bows were stung twice on Saturday with each match coming down to the wire.

In the opening match of the day LBSU got off to a quick 2-0 lead with straight set wins at the No. 4 and 5 courts. Kylin Loker and Riley Wagoner notched a straight set win on Court 2 to give UH its first point of the dual. It came down to Courts 1 and 3 and both went down to the wire in the third and deciding set. The Beach ultimately clinched the match when Malia Gementara and Taylor Hagenah outlasted Kaylee Glagau and Brooke Van Sickle 17-21, 21-19, 16-14. It was just the third loss in 31 matches for UH's top duo.

It was a monumental win for LBSU. The Beach entered the weekend winless all-time (0-9) against UH in the Big West Championship. UH had also won seven straight in the overall series, including three previous wins this season.

UH looked to bounce back in an elimination match against Cal Poly with the winner moving on to the finals. Van Sickle and Glagau bounced back from it's morning loss with an impressive 21-16, 21-17 win over Piper Naess and Jayelin Lombard that gave the BeachBows a 2-1 dual match lead. But the Mustangs would pull the stunner by winning the remaining two courts in three sets. Delaney Peranich and Brooke Golik's 18-21, 21-19, 15-12 win over Jaime Santer and Ilihia Huddleston clinched the upset.

The eighth-ranked BeachBows now await its postseason fate with next week's NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, April 30. The NCAA Championship is May 5-7 in Gulf Shore, Ala.

Long Beach State 3, Hawai'i 2
1. Gementara/Hagenah (LBSU) def. Glagau/Van Sickle (UH) 17-21, 21-19, 16-14
2. Loker/Wagoner (UH) def. Sydney Stevens/Julia Westby (LBSU) 21-11, 21-18
3. Ilihia Huddleston/Jaime Santer (UH) def. Megan Widener/Natalie Glenn (LBSU) 17-21, 21-13, 22-20
4. Maggie Walters/Christine Deroos (LBSU) def. Sarah Burton/Lea Kruse (UH) 21-14, 21-14
5. Mari Molina/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Chandler Cowell/Sydney Miller (UH) 21-15, 21-11
Order of Finish: 4,5,2,1,3

Cal Poly 3, Hawai'i 2
1. Van Sickle/Glagau (UH) def. Piper Naess/Jayelin Lombard (CP) 21-16, 21-17
2. Piper Ferch/Izzy Martinez (CP) def. Loker/Wagoner (UH) 21-18, 15-21, 15-9
3. Delaney Peranich/Brooke Golik (CP) def. Santer/Huddleston (UH) 18-21, 21-19, 15-12
4. Emma Zuffelato/Kalee Graff (CP) def. Kruse/Burton (UH) 21-18, 21-19
5. Miller/Cowell (UH) def. Susie Lloyd/Margo Smith (CP) 21-7, 21-16
Order of Finish: 5,4,1,2,3

BWC Day 2 Results
Long Beach State 3, Hawai'i 2
Cal Poly 4 UC Davis 1
Cal Poly 3 Hawai'i 2
Long Beach State 4 Cal Poly 1

#HawaiiBVB

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Players Mentioned

#5 Kylin Loker: 6' 0"; Freshman

#25 Megan Widener: 5' 11"; Freshman

#7 Kaylee Glagau: 6' 2"; Junior

#55 Ilihia Huddleston: 5' 11"; Junior

#3 Lea Kruse: 5' 11"; Graduate Student

#1 Jaime Santer: 6' 0"; Junior

#2 Brooke Van Sickle: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

#10 Riley Wagoner: 6' 0"; Junior

#21 Sarah Burton: 6' 1"; Freshman

#19 Chandler Cowell: 5' 10"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Kylin Loker
: 6' 0"; Freshman

#25 Megan Widener
: 5' 11"; Freshman

#7 Kaylee Glagau
: 6' 2"; Junior

#55 Ilihia Huddleston
: 5' 11"; Junior

#3 Lea Kruse
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student

#1 Jaime Santer
: 6' 0"; Junior

#2 Brooke Van Sickle
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

#10 Riley Wagoner
: 6' 0"; Junior

#21 Sarah Burton
: 6' 1"; Freshman

#19 Chandler Cowell
: 5' 10"; Senior