Boise State Opens Heineken Hawaii Invitational With Win Over Nebraska

Saturday, March 16

Honolulu, Hawaii

1 p.m. (MT)

Boise State

Nebraska

Boise State Opens Heineken Hawaii Invitational With Win Over Nebraska

3/16/2019 10:36:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

The Broncos opened tournament with win over Cornhuskers, then fell to nationally-ranked Hawai’i and Cal.

By: Courtesy: Boise State Athletics

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Boise State beach volleyball opened the Heineken Hawaii Invitational on Queen's Beach with a 3-2 win over Nebraska, then fell 5-0 to sixth-ranked Hawai'i and 4-1 to 11th-ranked California. Seniors Sabryn Roberts and Morgan Hughes led the Broncos Saturday with two hard fought wins at No. 2 pair to finish the day 2-1.

Boise State moves to 5-4 with the 1-2 mark on Saturday in the opening day round-robin play. The Broncos will move into the semifinals Sunday against Cal at 2:30 p.m. (MT), followed by either the championship or third-place match.

NEBRASKA RECAP

Boise State opened the tournament against Nebraska as the Broncos defeated the Cornhuskers 3-2. The Blue and Orange picked up victories at No. 1, 2 and 4 pairs to collect the team win.

The first victory came at No. 1 pair where Janell Walley and Kendra Bodine defeated Nebraska's top tandem of Nicklin Hames and Lauren Stirvins. The first set went to extra points before the Broncos regrouped with a 3-0 run to take it 26-24. The second set was a blowout as Walley and Bodine ended up winning the match in straight sets 26-24, 21-10.

After Nebraska had tied the match at 1-1, Roberts and Hughes put the Broncos back on top with a hard fought match at No. 2 pair. They downed Kenzie Knuckles and Jazz Sweet in two sets, but the last was a battle before the Broncos rallied with three-straight points to claim victory 21-17, 29-27.

Jensen Allen and Kiley Lewis clinched the team victory when they came back from one set down to take No. 4 pair 16-21, 21-11, 15-13 to make it 3-1 Broncos. Allen and Lewis trailed 6-4 in the third set to Nebraska's Anezka Szabo and Hayley Densberger before they turned it around for the win.

The final score was 3-2 Boise State following the Cornhuskers win at No. 5 pair to conclude the match.

Boise State (5-2) def. Nebraska (10-2) 3-2
1. Janell Walley/Kendra Bodine (BSU) def. Nicklin Hames/Lauren Stirvins (NEB) 26-24, 21-10
2. Sabryn Roberts/Morgan Hughes (BSU) def. Kenzie Knuckles/Jazz Sweet (NEB) 21-17, 29-27
3. Mari Kurkova/Madi Kubik (NEB) def. Kylee Johnson/Ellie McDonald (BSU) 21-16, 8-21, 15-12
4. Jensen Allen/Kiley Lewis (BSU) def. Anezka Szabo/Hayley Densberger (NEB) 16-21, 21-11, 15-13
5. Callie Schwarzenback/Megan Miller (NEB) def. Kenna Hanses/Maya Watkins (BSU) 4-21, 21-14, 15-12
Order of finish: Doubles (1,5,2,4,3)

HAWAI'I RECAP

Boise State's second match of the day was against its host the sixth-ranked Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine. It was all Hawai'i as they swept the Broncos 5-0 and all in straight sets.

At the top of the lineup Boise State's No. 1 pair of Walley and Bodine fell to Hawai'i's Emily Maglio and Amy Ozee 21-11, 21-16, while the No. 2 pair of Roberts and Hughes went down 21-12, 21-13. The experience of Hawai'i was too much for the Broncos to overcome.

#6 Hawai'i (6-4) def. Boise State (5-3) 5-0
1. Emily Maglio/Amy Ozee (UH) def. Janell Walley/Kendra Bodine (BSU) 21-11, 21-16
2. Ari Homayun/Julia Scoles (UH) def. Morgan Hughes/Sabryn Roberts (BSU) 21-12, 21-13
3. Morgan Martin/Pani Napoleon (UH) def. Kylee Johnson/Ellie McDonald (BSU) 21-11, 21-7
4. Kylin Loker/Hi'ilawe Huddleston (UH) def. Kiley Lewis/Jensen Allen (BSU) 21-10, 21-16
5. Ashley Stevens/Sofia Russo (UH) def. Kenna Hanses/Maya Watkins (BSU) 21-12, 21-15
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2,5,4)

CALIFORNIA RECAP

The final match of the day was versus 11th-ranked Cal with the Golden Bears handing the Broncos a 4-1 loss. Leading Boise State in the contest were Roberts and Hughes who won on court two in three sets. The Boise State senior tandem rallied from losing set one to take the match 18-21, 24-22, 15-13 over the Golden Bears' Iya Lindahl and Caroline Schafer.

Cal opened the scoring with a win at No. 5 pair followed by wins on courts one and three. Jensen Allen and Kiley Lewis attempted to comeback in their contest at No. 4 pair before falling in extra points during set two 21-12, 24-22. The last match was Roberts and Hughes' victory on court two to make the final score 4-1 Bears.

#11 California (9-2) def. Boise State (5-4) 4-1
1. Jordan Polo/Mima Mirkovic (CAL) def. Janell Walley/Kendra Bodine (BSU) 21-15, 21-10
2. Sabryn Roberts/Morgan Hughes (BSU) def. Iya Lindahl/Caroline Schafer (CAL) 18-21, 24-22, 15-13
3. Madi Micheletti/Grace Campbell (CAL) def. Ellie McDonald/Kylee Johnson (BSU) 21-10, 21-15
4. Madison Dueck/Alexia Inman (CAL) def. Jensen Allen/Kiley Lewis (BSU) 21-12, 24-22
5. Abby Waldburger/Mia Merino (CAL) def. Kenna Hanses/Maya Watkins (BSU) 21-13, 21-10
Order of finish: Doubles (5,1,3,4,2)