KAILUA, O'ahu– The No. 4 nationally ranked UH Hilo men's tennis team fell 6-1 to No. 9 Hawai'i Pacific at the Kailua Racquet Club.
The Vulcans are now 1-3 overall, while the Sharks improved 4-0 making HPU the early favorite in the West as they beat No. 12 Azusa Pacific, Biola, and No. 17 Concordia.
Hawaii Pacific ran off with the doubles point, making the individuals even more crucial for the Vulcans.
The Sharks took five out of the six individual points, but not without a Vulcan fight.
Court one was intense as
Martin Soukal battled HPU's Jordi Walder, going three sets deep. Soukal won the first set in a breeze 6-1, but Walder turned up the heat with back to back wins to take the match (6-2 and 6-3).
The middle courts suffered at the hand of Hawai'i Pacific, but court six secured the Vulcans lone point.
Joshua Liu defeated HPU's Jan Heine in three sets. Liu won the first and third set to put the Vulcans on the scoresheet.
Next up for UH Hilo is the ITA Indoor National Championships that will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Vulcans are set to face West Florida at 7am HST.
#9 Hawai'i Pacific 6, Hawai'i Hilo 1
Kailua Racquet Club
Singles competition
1. Jordi Walder (HPU) def.
Martin Soukal (UHH-MT) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Jan Pleva (HPU) def. Alession Demichelis (UHH-MT) 6-3, 6-2
3. Robin Sanz (HPU) def.
Agustin Gentile (UHH-MT) 6-3, 6-0
4. Jakub Beran (HPU) def.
Luca Checchia (UHH-MT) 6-3, 6-2
5. Benjamin Loccisano (HPU) def.
Luca Matheiowetz (UHH-MT) 6-4, 6-2
6.
Joshua Liu (UHH-MT) def. Jan Heine (HPU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
Singles order of finish unknown
Doubles competition
1. Pleva/Walder (HPU) def. Demichelis/Soukal (UHH-MT) 6-3
2. Beran/Sanz (HPU) def. Liu/Matheiowetz (UHH-MT) 6-1
3. Heine/Loccisano (HPU) vs. Gentile/Checchia (UHH-MT) 4-3, UNF.
Doubles order of finish unknown
