WAIPAHU, Oah`u--UH Hilo captured the doubles point but Concordia rallied back with four tight victories in singles to take a narrow 4-2 women's tennis win over the Vulcans on Sunday at the Patsy T. Mink Oahu Regional Tennis Center.
Concordia improved to 3-1 on the season while UH Hilo slipped to 2-3. The Eagles were picked to finish fifth in the Pacific West Conference preseason poll while the Vulcans were tabbed tenth by the league's coaches.
The match was tight throughout. The Vulcans struck first by claiming the doubles point, winning the clinching bout at No. 2 with Julia Barden and Nanami Okamoto winning in a tiebreak over Tiffany Carrillo and Alyssa Zayat, 7-6 (7-1). Earlier on court three, Hikari Osaki and Akari Ichikawa were triumphant, 6-2.
Concordia evened the match on court four in singles in one of the only two straight set outcomes, Zayat took out Okamoto, 6-4, 6-1. The other two-set match ended next on court six with Kimia Rahmani outlasting Casydee De Mattos (7-5, 6-4) to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
The other four singles matches went three sets. Heather Richards of CUI topped Carolina Alfonsin, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. UHH's Osaki beat Da Re, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 and the Eagles' Maya Arksey won the clinching match over Barden, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. The final match went unfinished in the third set in a battle between Carrillo and Sandra Dafincescu.
The Vulcans will wrap up this season-opening Oahu trip with a Monday match against conference favorite Hawai`i Pacific. Start time at the Kailua Racquet Club is 4 pm.
Concordia 4, UH Hilo 2
Patsy T. Mink Central O`ahu Regional Park, Waipahu, Hawaii
SINGLES
1. Heather Richards (CUI)) def. C. Alfonsin (UHH), 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.
2. Tiffany Carrillo (CUI) vs. S. Dafincescu (UHH), 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 3-0, UNF.
3. Maya Arksey (CUI) def. J. Barden (UHH), 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.
4. Alyssa Zayat (CUI) def. N. Okamoto (UHH), 6-4, 6-1.
5. H. Osaki (UHH) def. Alicia Da Re (CUI), 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
6. Kimia Rahmani (CUI) def. C. De Mattos (UHH), 7-5, 6-4.
Order of Finish: 4-6-1-5-3
DOUBLES
1. Richards/Arksey (CUI) def. Alfonsin/Highsmith (UHH), 6-4.
2. Barden/Okamoto (UHH) def. Carrillo/Zayat (CUI), 7-6 (7-1).
3. Osaki/A. Ichikawa (UHH) def. Da Re/Rahmani (CUI), 6-2.
Order of Finish: 3-1-2
TEAM RECORDS
Concordia 3-1, UH Hilo 2-3
