WAIPAHU, O`ahu--Just a few hours after a near upset of No. 24 Biola, the UH Hilo women's tennis team bounced back and notched their first win of the season over Dominican, 4-1 on Friday.
The Vulcans won the doubles point and then clinched the match with three singles wins at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park late. Earlier they fell to Biola 4-3 in their first match of the 2022 season. The Penguins were playing their first match on Oahu and third overall to drop to 1-2 overall.
UHH won the all important doubles point with the clinch on court three. Hikari Osaki and Akari Ichikawa broke the 1-1 team tie with a 6-4 triumph over Zoe Coggins and Julia Rydel. Earlier, Julia Barden and Nanami Okamoto won on court two, 6-1.Â
That gave the Vulcans a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Dominican quickly evened the count at No. 1 when unbeaten Audrey Rafols defeated Carolina Alfonsin, 6-2, 6-2. But UH Hilo then took three consecutive singles matches in the clinch format, first on court three with Barden (7-5, 6-1), then at No. 4 with Osaki (6-4, 6-4) and finally on court two with Sandra Dafincescu winning a three-setter over Gina Dudley, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.
The Vulcans will continue play on Oahu on Saturday morning with a 9 am match with defending Pacific West Conference champion Azusa Pacific. They will also play Chaminade at 3 pm.
UH Hilo 4, Dominican 1
Patsy T. Mink Central O`ahu Regional Park, Waipahu, Hawaii
SINGLES
1. Audrey Rafols (DU)Â def. C. Alfonsin (UHH) 6-2, 6-2.
2. S. Dafincescu (UHH) def. Gina Dudley (DU), 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
3. J. Barden (UHH) def. Haley Garcia (DU), 7-5, 6-1.
4. H. Osaki (UHH) def. Gigi Alajeely (DU), 6-4, 6-4.
5. N. Okamoto (UHH) vs. Zoe Coggins (DU), 2-6, 6-4, 1-2, UNF.
6. C. De Mattos (UHH) vs. Julia Rydel (DU), 7-5, 5-4, UNF.
Order of Finish: 1-3-4-2
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DOUBLES
1. Rafols/Dudley (DU)Â def. Alfonsin/Highsmith (UHH), 6-1.
2. Barden/Okamoto (UHH) def. Garcia/Alajeely (DU), 6-1.
3. Osaki/A. Ichikawa (UHH) def. Coggins/Rydel (DU), 6-4
Order of Finish:Â 1-2-3
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TEAM RECORDS
UH Hilo 1-1, Dominican 1-2Â
