Hilo, Hawaii – In a little less than three hours, the University of Hawaii at Hilo women's tennis team earned their ticket to an NCAA Division II West Region Championship match in San Diego, Calif.

Beating Hawaii Pacific University, 5-2, on the UHH tennis courts, the Vulcans' women's team joins the men's team on a flight Thursday morning to San Diego.

"I expected HPU to come out with more energy than before and they did that," Oda said. "It's pretty much what I expected.'

The Vulcans took two for three doubles winning first doubles by default and the duo of Wendy Owen and Sayaka Fukumoto beating Cecilia Lundberg and Katarina Jacobson, 8-4. The third set went an extra frame with HPU's Tina Klep and Shakti Stream defeating. Eve Vicquenault and Krystal Hangai, 9-7

With Jennifer Earle recording a Vulcan win by Josefine Paulie's default, the Vulcans needed two singles matches to claim the spot in the championship.

Mai Fujii and Tiana Lum-Tucker delivered the final blows with Fujii beating Klep (6-3, 6-1) and Lum-Tucker beating Lundberg (6-2, 6-2).

"Mai and T played really well," Oda said. "They were very business like in what they needed to do and the two matches that were left on the court were very tight."

The teams leave Thursday morning in anticipation of practicing on Friday and playing on Saturday.

The men's team faces UC-San Diego in a rematch of last year's regional championship match.

"The way the guys match-up this time, I'm really confident in them," Oda said. "Last year, UCSD came out on fire and we played well. They just played better than us. It'll be a lot closer."

The women face the winner of Friday's UC-San Diego/Cal State Los Angeles match. But which ever team the Vulcans face, Oda will be using a familiar formula.

"It's going to be similar to today's match where we're going to have to play well in doubles and win at least two," Oda said. "I'm confident we can split the singles."


Doubles:

Mai Fujii/Tiana Lum-Tucker (UHH) def. Isidora Ljuri/Josefine Paulie (HPU), 3-0 (def.)
Tina Klep/Shakti Stream (HPU) def. Eve Vicquenault/Krystal Hangai (UHH), 9-7
Wendy Owen/Sayaka Fukumoto (UHH) def. Cecilia Lundberg/Katarina Jacobson (HPU), 8-4

Singles:

Mai Fujii (UHH) def. Tina Klep (HPU), 6-3, 6-1
Eve Vicquenault (UHH) / Isidora Ljuri (HPU), DNF
Tiana Lum-Tucker (UHH) def. Cecilia Lundberg (HPU), 6-2, 6-2
Wendy Owen (UHH) / Shakti Stream (HPU), DNF
Katarina Jacobson (HPU) def. Sayaka Fukumoto (UHH), 6-1, 6-3
Jennifer Earle (UHH) def. Josefine Paulie (HPU), Default