Big West to hold conference sand tourney, US men’s teams win

The Big West announced it would hold a conference tournament in sand volleyball next spring in order to qualify for the NCAA tournament. As suspected earlier, CSU Bakerfield and Sac State will join as affiliate members to make it a six-team conference which will have UH, The Beach, CSUN and Cal Poly.

I know there is still discussion as to whether they will include a pairs tournament or just make it a team championship at the NCAA.

In other matches internationally,

>> The U.S. men’s national volleyball team, with two players from Hawaii in the starting lineup, defeated Russia 3-1 in a World League match Saturday in Kaliningrad, Russia.
Setter Micah Christenson (Kamehameha) had four blocks, three kills, and two aces in the 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 25-18 victory. Libero Erik Shoji (Punahou) finished with six digs as the U.S. improved to 8-2 in pool play.
Reserve setter Kawika Shoji (‘Iolani) did not play.
The U.S. finishes pool play July 3-4 against Poland (6-3). The top two teams from the pool advance to the final round July 14-19 in Rio de Janeiro.

>> The U.S. men’s junior national volleyball team, with two players from the University of Hawaii on the roster, defeated Canada Saturday in the U21 Pan American Cup semifinal match in Gatineau, Canada.
Setter Jennings Franciskovic played in Sets 3 and 4 while outside hitter Kupono Fey played in Set 4 of the 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-22 victory. The U.S. takes on Brazil for the championship Sunday in a rematch of last week’s pool play match won by Brazil 3-1, the Americans’ only loss of the tournament.

>> Honolulu’s Tri Bourne teamed with John Hyden to sweep a Dutch pair on Saturday’s opening day of the FIVB Beach World Championships in the Hague, Netherlands.
Bourne, an Academy of the Pacific graduate, and Hyden defeated Daan Spijkers/Tim Oude Elferink 21-9, 21-14. The U.S. team is ranked 22nd on the World Tour.
Play continues through July 5. The event offers a $1 million purse with the men’s and women’s winners earning their country a berth in next year’s Olympic Games.