Hawaii beach volleyball: Wahine locked in for Big West tournament

The Hawaii beach volleyball team has never lost a Big West tournament dual match, and the Rainbow Wahine have no intention of slipping up now.

UH (24-7) departs for Malibu, Calif., as the top seed in the 2019 edition of the seven-team conference showdown that will send a team to the NCAAs in Gulf Shores, Ala. UH is looking to make it 4-for-4 in championships since the Big West rolled out the sport in 2016.

The fifth-ranked SandBows (24-7), who’ve won their last six dual matches, have been a model of consistency with their lineups since mid-March. Here’s what you can expect coach Jeff Hall to roll out at Zuma Beach starting Friday:

Flight 1 — Emily Maglio/Amy Ozee (19-4)
Flight 2 — Ari Homayun/Julia Scoles (25-5)
Flight 3 — Morgan Martin/Pani Napoleon (21-1)
Flight 4 — Hi‘ilawe Huddleston/Kylin Loker (14-6)
Flight 5 — Paige Dreeuws/Sofia Russo (13-6)

In UH’s last 17 dual matches, that’s been the lineup, with the exception of two matches in the recent Queen’s Cup when Jenna Banz was in for Huddleston in Flight 4. Huddleston was back in for the last three.

“We feel great about where it’s at,” Hall said. “Our 1 through 5 has been this way for a while now.”

Here's #HawaiiBVB coach Jeff Hall on his top-seeded team's 1 through 5 flights being set headed to the Big West tournament and the possibility of recent addition Norene Iosia seeing action.

UH is looking for its fourth straight BWC title, this weekend at Zuma Beach in Malibu. pic.twitter.com/XqiDyqeQDT

— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) April 24, 2019

Martin and Napoleon have been dynamite at Flight 3; they are 21-1 together, including winning their first 20, with a school-record 40 straight sets won.

Homayun, who was honored on senior night along with three others, is the program’s career wins leader with 113. Maglio is right behind at 110.

UH’s last loss (and only to a Big West opponent) was 3-2 to Cal Poly on the final day of the Big West challenge March 31. The Mustangs, who lost to Long Beach State, were seeded second and the 49ers third. UH, the only team to receive a first-round bye, awaits the winner of Cal State Northridge and UC Davis in its opening dual match. The Wahine are 9-0 all-time in Big West tournament dual matches and need three wins again in the double-elimination format (barring a loss, then it gets harder) to book their ticket to the South.

SandBows are the☝🏾seed!#HawaiiBVB #LeaveALegacy #GoBows 🌈 pic.twitter.com/adIFqZK05S

— Hawaii Beach Volleyball (@UHBeachVolley) April 23, 2019

“Leave nothing on the floor or in the sand. Every effort you have. No regrets,” Hall said. “I think the girls are ready for it. Its been a long year. But again, we’re right in the spot we want to be.”

Indoor veteran Norene Iosia recently re-joined the beach roster at the conclusion of indoor spring training. She’s an alternate for now, but would be considered for the NCAAs should UH earn the Big Wests automatic berth.

“She’s awesome. And it’s Norene. She comes in and is such a great volleyball player, and has a fun attitude. She’s like a breath of fresh air … and we have familiarity with her, so it was a really easy fold in the team dynamic.”