So far, the Hawaii beach volleyball team is taking pretty well to the Big West’s new championship format.

The 11^th-ranked Rainbow Wahine defeated Cal State Bakersfield, 5-0, and defending champion Long Beach State, 4-1, in pool play on Thursday to earn a spot in Friday’s semifinal round at Long Beach City College.

The Big West changed its championship format this year from its past double-elimination setting. Teams now engage in pool play on Day 1, followed by a single-elimination bracket on Day 2.

UH (22-11) won Pool A and will take on either UC Davis or Cal State Bakersfield at 9:15 a.m. Hawaii time Friday. Cal Poly, which won Pool B, will get either LBSU or CSUN preceding UH’s semifinal.

Sacramento State, an affiliate Big West member for beach volleyball, was knocked out of competition with a pair of losses Thursday. Six other teams are still in the running. The championship match is set for 11:15 a.m. HST, with the winner gaining an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in Gulf Shores, Ala.

With two victories Thursday with partner Pani Napoleon, senior Kaylee Glagau became the third Rainbow Wahine beach player to compile 100 career wins in dual matches. She trails only Ari Homayun (115) and Emily Maglio (108).

In addition to Glagau/Napoleon at Court 2, three other Wahine pairs swept their matches on the day: Jamie Santer/Alana Embry at Court 1, Riley Wagoner/Sydney Amiatu at Court 4 and Sarah Burton/Caprice Lorenzo at Court 5.

The Court 3 team of Sydney Miller/Anna Maidment split their matches on the day.

UH won the first three sanctioned Big West championships in the sport from 2016 to 2018, but Cal Poly (2019 to 2022) and LBSU (2023) have prevailed since.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.