SURPRISE, Ariz.—It was a valiant effort and a moral victory but unfortunately a loss in the score column in the final match of the 2019 season for the Hawai`i Hilo women's tennis team on Thursday night at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Center.

The Vulcans fell to Stanislaus State in the consolation round of the Pacific West Conference Tournament, with all matches being played out, 4-3. But that was a big improvement from a relatively quick 4-1 loss to the Warriors earlier this season in Turlock and a positive way to end the campaign under first-year coach Kallen Mizuguchi.

The Vulcans end the year at 5-12, while Stanislaus State finishes up their season at 12-8.

UH Hilo won the doubles point behind victories from the team of Sandra Dafincescu and Marina Colvee (6-3), and the clinching win came from the No. 1 team of Anouk van Hoek and Carmelle Joyner, 7-5. Back in March when they teams squared off, that same Vulcan tandem fell to the same Warrior duo by the lopsided score of 6-1.

In singles play, UH Hilo got the first win to take a 2-0 lead. It was Dafincescu with a win on court three over Maria Ochoa, 6-2, 6-2. When the same two played in Turlock, Ochoa held a 7-5, 5-5 lead in a match that ultimately went unfinished. That victory made the sophomore from Romania a double-winner on the day.

The Warriors got the next singles point on court one, but the Vulcans followed with a victory at No. 6 when Gabriela Aguilar Lawlor won a hard-fought match over Megan Hagerty, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3---leaving the Vulcans needing to win just one more game to salvage the match.

But they couldn't get it. The Warriors won a three-set battle on court five when Sylvana Talamantes edged Hina Nishida, and van Hoek lost a heartbreaker on court two to Amila Gogalija, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). That left all eyes on court four, where Stanislaus State's Kayla Nguynen and UHH's Joyner were locked up in a three-set battle, where the Warrior would eventually prevail, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

"I thought we showed improvement late in the year, even if the results didn't necessarily show it," Mizuguchi said. "We worked hard on getting better at doubles, and certainly turned the corner there. With no seniors on the team and a good recruiting class in the mix, we look to continue to get better next year."

Pacific West Conference Championships, Surprise Tennis and Racquet Club, Surprise, Ariz.
#9 Stanislaus State 4, #12 Hawai'i Hilo 3 (Consolation Round)
Singles competition

1. #74 Cassidy Ferrell (STAN) def. Marina Colvee (UHH), 6-0, 6-0.

2. Amila Gogalija (STAN) vs. Anouk van Hoek (UHH), 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

3. Sandra Dafincescu (UHH) def. Maria Ochoa (STAN), 6-2, 6-2.

4. Kayla Nguyen (STAN) def. Carmelle Joyner (UHH), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

5. Sylvana Talamantes (STAN) def. Hina Nishida (UHH), 3-6, 6-1. 6-3.

6. Gabriela Aguilar Lawlor (UHH) def. Megan Hagerty (STAN), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

 
Singles order of finish: 3-1-6-5-2-4

Doubles competition
1. van Hoek/Joyner (UHH) def. Ferrell/Nguyen (STAN), 7-5.
2. Ochoa/Hagerty (STAN) def. Nishida/Irena Le (UHH), 6-2.
3. Dafincescu/Colvee (UHH) def. Galya/Gogalija (STAN), 6-3.

Doubles order of finish: 2-3-1

Records: Hawai'i Hilo 5-12, Stanislaus State 12-8