No.11 Sand Devils begin season with difficult stretch in Hawaii

(Photo: Sammy Nute/WCSN)

The Arizona State beach volleyball team opened their 2025 season with a difficult set of matches in Hawaii at the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Classic this past weekend.

The No. 11 Sand Devils competed against six of the top 12 teams, including four in the top five. While they fought hard on the sand, they ultimately left Hawaii with a upsetting 1-5 record on the weekend.

ASU kicked off the tournament with a sweep against No. 12 Hawaii, winning the first dual of their season in dominant fashion, 5-0. On court 5, Zoë Taylor and Kendall Whitmarsh set the tone for ASU, dominating the first set 21-5 and picking up a win in just two sets.

On court three, Tori Clement and Ava Kirunchyk faced an intense battle ultimately winning in three sets after dropping their first set 14-21. They sealed their victory going 18-16 in their third set against Hawaii.

ASU’s momentum was tested later in the day when they faced off against No. 3 UCLA. Unlike the final score reveals, the matchup was a hardfought contest, with four of the five courts going to three sets. Despite pushing the Bruins to the limit, ASU fell 4-1.

The single win over UCLA came from the No. 4 pair, Arden Besecker and Ava Haughy, who finished day one of the competition 2-0 after a three-set victory.

Day two began with the Sand Devils facing off against the reigning NCAA champions and top-ranked team, No. 1 USC. Arizona State fought hard but were swept 5-0 by the Trojans. The closest match of the dual came from the No. 1 pair, Daniella Kensinger and Ava Williamson, who took their first set into extras but ultimately fell 27-25.

It was a long day in the sand as once ASU wrapped up its matchup with the top team in the country, it had to turn its attention and faced off against No. 2 TCU. Once again, the Sand Devils found themselves outmatched, losing 4-1.

The highlight of the match against TCU came from Besecker and Haughy, who continued their strong performance with a straight-set victory. The rest of the pairs struggled to find success on the other courts, with the Horned Frogs overpowering the Sand Devils in straight sets across the board.

Arizona State entered the final day looking to bounce back, but the competition did not let up.

Their first matchup of day three was against No. 7 LMU, who dealt ASU a 5-0 sweep. Besecker and Haughy continued to be a beacon of hope for the Sand Devils, winning their first set 21-13 before ultimately losing in the third set 15-6.

The rest of the ASU lineup struggled against LMU, with the No. 5 pair, Kaydon Meyers and Zoë Taylor falling in straight sets.

To close out the final day of competition in Queens Beach, ASU faced No. 5 Stanford. The Sand Devils were unable to recover from their earlier losses and were swept 5-0 by the Cardinal.

Meyers and Carys Thomas stepped in on court five for their first action of the weekend but dropped in straight sets, rounding out a difficult weekend for ASU.

Despite the tough results, there were some highlights for the Sand Devils.

The No. 4 pair of Arden Besecker and Ava Haughy proved to be the team’s most reliable duo throughout the weekend, finishing with a 3-1 record and securing wins against Hawaii, UCLA, and TCU. Their ability to perform against top-tier competition gives Arizona State a strong anchor in the middle of the lineup.

Additionally, the Sand Devils showed competitive spirit across the board.

Close sets, like Kensinger and Williamson’s near-upset against USC, and several three-set battles against UCLA, prove that the Sand Devils have the ability to compete with top programs.

But, while there were individual successes, ASU’s overall lineup struggled to find consistency across the board.

The No. 1 pair of Kensinger and Williamson and the No. 2 pair of Olivia McElroy and Anya Pemberton both finished the weekend with a difficult 1-5 record.

The No. 3 pair of Clement and Kirunchyk went 1-3, securing their only win against Hawaii on day one of the competition. Finding a stable, consistent lineup in the No. 5 spot will be crucial for ASU’s success as the season progresses.

Facing some of the nations top teams, the Sand Devils faced stiff competition throughout the tournament. USC, the reigning NCAA champions, proved to be an unforgiving challenge for ASU, while UCLA, TCU, LMU and Stanford all demonstrated why they are ranked among the best in the country.

ASU will look to recover at the Cactus Classic in Tucson this weekend facing off against Boise State, Stetson, Oregon, and GCU.