(photo of Carmelle Joyner courtesy of Jordan Herrod)

SURPRISE, Ariz.--UH Hilo lost the doubles point but still rallied back for four victories on the singles courts to take a 4-2 win over Colorado Mesa in the consolation round of the Pacific West Conference Women's Tennis Championships at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex.

The Vulcans close the 2021 season with a 8-6 record, while the Mavericks finish at 12-13.

UH Hilo fell behind after losing doubles bouts on courts one and two, and then lost the first singles match of the day to begin the match down 2-0.

But the Vulcans stormed back, winning four consecutive singles contests, including two in three sets.

Carolina Alfonsin got the Vulcans on the board first with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Halle Romero on court three, and Hannah Highsmith evened the match at 2-2 with a 6-2, 6-2 topping of Lauren Thomas on court five.

Three matches remained, and all three were in the third set. Sandra Dafincescu tipped the scoring balance with a win on court two, after dropping the first set she rallied back to win, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2. The Vulcans needed just one more win, and they got it on court four from senior Carmelle Joyner, playing her last collegiate match. 

Joyner cruised through the first set (6-1), but her opponent Carolena Campos stayed alive with a 6-4 win in set two. Joyner then ran away from Campos in the third set (6-1) to clinch the match for the Vulcans. On court one, Hikari Osaki and Issy Coman stopped playing with Coman up 3-0 in the third set.

It was a solid finish for the Vulcans, who posted their first winning season in a number of years. 

"We played much better today than we did on Wednesday," said head coach Kallen Mizuguchi, who team lost 4-0 to Metro State-Denver in the opening round. "It was nice to battle back and close out the year on a good note."

UH Hilo 4, Colorado Mesa 2
Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex

SINGLES
1. Hikari Osaki (UHH) vs. Issy Coman (CMU) 6-2, 5-7, 0-3, UNF.
2. Sandra Dafincescu (UHH) def. Maike Waldburger (CMU), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
3. Carolina Alfonsin (UHH) def. Halle Romero (CMU), 6-3, 6-4.
4. Carmelle Joyner (UHH) def. Carolena Campos (CMU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
5. Hannah Highsmith (UHH) def. Lauren Thomas (CMU), 6-2, 6-2. 
6. Julianna Campos (CMU) def. Casydee De Mattos (UHH), 6-0, 6-1.
Order of Finish: 6-3-5-2-4

DOUBLES
1. Waldburger/C. Campos (CMU) def. Alfonsin/Highsmith (UHH) 6-1.
2. Coman/Romero (CMU) def. De Mattos/Joyner (UHH), 6-3.
3. Dafincescu/Osaki (UHH) vs. J. Campos/Thomas (CMU), 5-5, UNF.
Order of Finish: 1-2

TEAM RECORDS
UH Hilo 8-6, Colorado Mesa 12-13