(photo of doubles team Sandra Dafincescu and Hikari Osaki courtesy of Jordan Herrod)

SURPRISE, Ariz.--Metro State-Denver wanted to make a good impression at their first ever Pacific West Conference Tennis Tournament, and they certainly did with a 4-0 win over Hawaii Hilo.

The Roadrunners took the doubles point quickly and then won singles bouts on courts two, four and six to clinch the match. MSU-Denver will now advance to the quarterfinals to play No. 1 seed Azusa Pacific. The Vulcans will move to the consolation bracket to play Colorado Mesa at 5 pm on Thursday evening at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Center.

Metro State-Denver improves to 11-9 on the season while the Vulcans drop to 7-6.

The Roadrunners won doubles matches on court one and two, leaving court three unfinished. 

On court one, Carolina Alfonsin and Hannah Highsmith fell to Brooklyn Ross and Isabel Heras (6-1), one of the top doubles team in the region. That pairing improved to 15-2 this season. Carmelle Joyner and Casydee De Mattos also lost to their Roadrunner counterparts, 6-2, to Lilly Stienemeier and Helena Steenberg.

In singles Steenberg topped Sandra Dafincescu on court two (6-3, 6-1), Gala Castillo defeated Joyner on court four (6-3, 6-0) and Marie Cool won over De Mattos on court six, 6-1, 6-1. Alfonsin was close to getting UHH's first set win on court three in a unfinished match against Heras, 6-3, 1-5, UNF.

In other opening round matches, Point Loma defeated Chaminade (4-0), Academy of Art topped Colorado Mesa (4-1) and Fresno Pacific beat Dominican (4-0). The top four seeds in the tournament all had a first round bye--No. 1 Azusa Pacific, No. 2 Concordia, No. 3 Hawaii Pacific and No. 4 Biola. 


Metro State-Denver 4, UH Hilo 0
Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex
SINGLES
1. Brooklyn Ross (MSU-D) vs. Hikari Osaki (UHH), 6-1, 5-2, UNF.
2. Helena Steenberg (MSU-D)) def. Sandra Dafincescu (UHH), 6-3, 6-1.
3. Isabel Heras (MSU-D) vs. Carolina Alfonsin (UHH), 6-3, 1-5, UNF.
4. Gala Castillo (MSU-D) def. Carmelle Joyner (UHH), 6-3, 6-0.
5. Helena Stienemeier (MSU-D) vs. Hannah Highsmith (UHH), 6-4, 1-0, UNF.
6. Marie Cool (MSU-D) def. Casydee De Mattos (UHH), 6-1, 6-1.
Order of Finish: 6-4-2

DOUBLES
1. Ross/Heras (MSU-D) def. Alfonsin/Highsmith (UHH) 6-1.
2. Steenberg/Stienemeier (MSU-D) def. De Mattos/Joyner (UHH), 6-2
3. Cool/Castillo (MSU-D) vs. Dafincescu/Osaki (UHH), 5-2, UNF.
Order of Finish: 1-2

TEAM RECORDS
Metro State-Denver 11-9 , UH Hilo 7-6