WAIKOLOA, Hawai`i—It had been ten months, but this still had a very familiar ring to it.
 
The Hawai`i Hilo women's tennis team opened its 2020 season in the same way that they ended 2019—with a grueling 4-3 loss to Stanislaus State. The Vulcans' first action of this spring was at the Fairmont Orchid Resort, where last year's loss was in Arizona at the Pacific West Conference tournament.
 
The Vulcans will turn around play UC San Diego on Saturday. Start time at the Fairmont Orchid will be 10:30 a.m.
 
Many of the Vulcans could use some rest after a match that took a total of four hours and 15 minutes to finish.
 
UH Hilo took the team doubles point by winning on court three with Sandra Dafincescu and Gabriela Aguilar Lawlor, 6-3, and on court one in the clincher with Anouk Van Hoek and Carmelle Joyner winning 7-5.
 
Singles began on the positive side for the Vulcans as well. Aguilar Lawlor cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win on court six, and Van Hoek won at No. 3 singles (6-4, 6-2) to give UH Hilo a 3-0 lead. But things then began to turn the Warriors way from there.
 
Tay Cazarin won over Carmelle Joyner on court four, and Ashley Isaac outlasted Marina Colvee on the stadium court, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 to make the team score 3-2.
 
That left two matches to be played, as daylight turned to darkness under the lights.
 
In a power match on court two, Megan Hagerty out-slugged Dafincescu, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4 to tie the match at 3-3. Meanwhile on court five, UHH's Irena Le eventually succumbed to Kate Bolton in the last match of the night, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3. That match featured a few injury timeouts, a court change (for lights) and another delay when the lights went out for ten minutes.
 
The Vulcans and Warriors will meet again in Turlock, Calif. on March 20.
 
Stanislaus State 4, Hawai'i Hilo 3
Singles competition

1. Ashley Isaac (STAN) def. Marina Colvee (UHH), 7-6 (7-3), 6-0.

2. Megan Hagerty (STAN) def. Sandra Dafincescu (UHH), 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4.

3. Anouk Van Hoek (UHH) def. Kayla Nguyen (STAN), 6-4, 6-2.

4. Tay Cazarin (STAN) def. Carmelle Joyner (UHH), 6-3, 6-2.

5. Kate Bolton (STAN) def. Irena Le (UHH), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.

6. Gabriela Aguilar Lawlor (UHH) def. Grace Moore (STAN), 6-0, 6-0.

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

Doubles competition
1. Van Hoek/Joyner (UHH) def. Isaac/Nguyen (STAN), 7-5.
2. Carazin/Hagerty (STAN) def. Colvee/Le (UHH), 6-2.
3. Dafincescu/Aguilar Lawlor (UHH) def. Bolton/Karrigan Cook (STAN), 6-3.

Doubles order of finish: 3-2-1

Records: Hawai'i Hilo 0-1, Stanislaus State 1-1