Ostrander, Wong-Orantes Win Queen of the Beach Silver Bracket

Honolulu, Hawaii - The Nebraska sand volleyball team finished bracket play at the Queen of the Beach Challenge at Queen's Beach on Saturday with both team and individual honors. 

Justine Wong-Orantes and Alicia Ostrander won the Silver Bracket title, defeating USC's Bria Russ and Jenna Belton, 21-18, 21-17 in the final. The Huskers' number one pair was stellar all day, picking up three straight wins to capture the bracket. They won 21-9, 21-14 over USC's Marielle Bagnard and Olivia Asprey in the quarterfinals, and then won in three sets against Hawaii's London Chow and Hannah Zalopany in the semifinals, 21-15, 19-21, 15-10. Wong-Orantes and Ostrander finished the tournament with a 4-1 overall record.

Kelly Hunter and Kadie Rolfzen were the only Husker duo to reach the Gold Bracket after going 2-0 in pool play on Friday. Hunter and Rolfzen were defeated in the quarterfinals by Hawaii's Nikki Taylor and Brittany Tiegs, 11-21, 11-21. 

The other three Husker pairs all fell in quarterfinal matches in the Silver Bracket, though two of the three went to a third set. Kira Larson and Alexa Ethridge fell to Chow and Zalopany of Hawaii, 10-21, 21-18, 8-15. Ethridge was voted the tournament's best defense award winner.

Amber Rolfzen and Melanie Keil were edged by USC's Jo Kremer and Lorna Brandt, 17-21, 21-15, 11-15. Finally, Annika Albrecht and Cecilia Hall fell in two sets to Russ and Belton of USC, 16-21, 19-21.

The Huskers conclude their stay in Hawaii with back-to-back dual matches against Hawaii and California on Sunday, beginning at 7 p.m. (CT).