Rainbow Wahine Split On First Day Of TCU Invitational

FORT WORTH, Texas — In its first-ever competition in the state of Texas, the No. 11 University of Hawai'i beach volleyball split a pair of matches on the opening day of the TCU Invitational. The Rainbow Wahine defeated Texas, 3-2, before falling to No. 5 TCU, 3-2, in a battle of nationally-ranked squads.

UH (15-10) opened the two-day tournament with their third-ever meeting against Texas. The 'Bows easily defeated the Longhorns in Honolulu twice last year. But competing in its second season of beach volleyball, Texas (5-7) put up a battle this time around, taking two points from the 'Bows. All five courts were finished in straight sets. UH jumped out to a 2-0 lead with wins on court 4 and 5, however, the Longhorns claimed court 2 to cut the deficit. UH put to bed any upset plans for Texas as the top pair of Jaime Santer and Alana Embry dispatched of Katie Hasman and Emma Grace Robertson, 21-17, 21-17, to clinch the dual. The Longhorns took the final point on court 3 with the outcome already in hand.

UH's second match of the day versus host TCU (21-5) was a barn burner. Like the opening match, UH jumped out of the gates with a 2-0 lead. The No. 4 pair of Riley Wagoner-Sydney Amiatu and the No. 5 pair of Anna Maidment-Sydney Miller each won in three sets to give the 'Bows an early dual match lead and cap an unblemished day for those pairs. TCU responded with straight-set wins at No. 1 and No. 3 to knot it up at 2-2.

It ultimately came down to the No. 2 flight as UH's Kaylee Glagau and Julia Thelle took on TCU's Ana Vergara and Anhelina Khmil. After Vergara and Khmil won the first set, the second set was an absolute battle. Glagau and Thelle fought off two match points and even put themselves in position for a set point to extend it to a third. But Vegara and Khmil reeled off three straight points to take the set, 24-22, and clinch the dual for the Horned Frogs.

The Rainbow Wahine return to action on Saturday in the TCU Invitational with a meeting versus Houston Christian and a rematch with TCU.

Hawai'i 3 Texas 2
1. Santer/Embry (UH) def. Hasman/Robertson (TEX) 21-17, 21-17
2. Macey Butler/Devin Kahawai (TEX) def. Thelle/Glagau (UH), 21-12, 21-15
3. Ayden Ames/Hannah Ogden (TEX) def. Amirah Ali/Pani Napoleon (UH) 21-11, 22-20
4. Wagoner/Amiatu (UH) def. Ava Patton/Presley Wright (TEX) 21-15, 21-18
5. Maidment/Miller (UH) def. Averi Carlson/Jenna Wenaas (TEX) 21-10, 21-15
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 1, 3

TCU 3 Hawai'i 2
1.Sutton MacTavish/Hailey Hamlett (TCU) def. Santer/Embry (UH) 21-14, 21-19
2. Vergara/Khmil (TCU) def. Thelle/ Glagau (UH) 21-14, 24-22
3. Morgan Williams/Tara Patton (TCU) def. Ali/Napoleon (UH) 21-18, 21-18
4. Wagoner/Amiatu (UH) def. Luana Araco/Anete Namike (TCU) 21-15, 17-21, 15-12
5. Maidment/Miller (UH) def. Keagan Polk/Olivia Clines (TCU) 23-21, 20-22, 15-13
Order of finish: 4, 5, 3, 1, 2

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Players Mentioned

#22 Amirah Ali: 6' 2"; Sophomore

#14 Sydney Amiatu: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

#7 Kaylee Glagau: 6' 2"; Senior

#6 Anna Maidment: 5' 11"; Senior

#11 Sydney Miller: 6' 0"; Sophomore

#1 Jaime Santer: 6' 1"; Senior

#10 Riley Wagoner: 6' 0"; Senior

#34 Pani Napoleon: 5' 7"; Graduate Student

#8 Alana Embry: 5' 9"; Sophomore

#5 Julia Thelle: 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#22 Amirah Ali
: 6' 2"; Sophomore

#14 Sydney Amiatu
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

#7 Kaylee Glagau
: 6' 2"; Senior

#6 Anna Maidment
: 5' 11"; Senior

#11 Sydney Miller
: 6' 0"; Sophomore

#1 Jaime Santer
: 6' 1"; Senior

#10 Riley Wagoner
: 6' 0"; Senior

#34 Pani Napoleon
: 5' 7"; Graduate Student

#8 Alana Embry
: 5' 9"; Sophomore

#5 Julia Thelle
: 5' 10"; Freshman