WAIMEA, Hawai'i--Julia Barden clinched the Vulcans' 4-3 victory over Cal Lutheran in a three-set duel.
The Vulcans jumped ahead with the doubles point thanks to UHH's sweep on all three courts, but the Regals even out the score in the singles matches. CLU took courts one, two, and four to put themselves back in the competition.
After losing the first two singles matches, Hikari Osaki and Hannah Highsmith took care of business on their courts to give the Vulcans a 3-2 edge. The Regals answered back with a win on court four after Nanami Okamoto lost a close three-set battle (3-3).
That left court three in action with both Barden and Sandra Gawrit with one win a piece. After losing the first set, Barden bounced back and won the final two sets, 7-6 (2) and 8-6.
Hawai'i Hilo 4, Cal Lutheran 3
Seaside Tennis Club, Waimea, Hawai'i
Singles competition
1. Carmen Bufkin (CLU) def. C. Alfonsin (UHH) 7-5, 6-1
2. Brennan Foreman (CLU) def. S. Dafincescu (UHH) 0-6, 6-1, 11-9
3. J. Barden (UHH) def. Sophia Gawrit (CLU) 1-6, 7-6 (2), 8-6
4. Luisa Garcia (CLU) def. N. Okamoto (UHH) 1-6, 6-2, 11-9
5. H. Osaki (UHH) def. Carolina Groff Hinojosa (CLU) 6-3, 6-0
6. H. Highsmith (CLU) def. Lauren Sebastian (UHH) 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish: 2-1-5-6-4-3
Doubles competition
1. Okamoto/Barden (UHH) def. (UHH) 6-0 Burkin/Foreman (CLU) 6-3
2. Highsmith/De Mattos (UHH) def. Garcia/Groff Hinojosa (CLU), 6-3
3. Osaki/Ichikawa (UHH) vs Levanen/Seaberg (CLU), 6-5
Order of Finish: 1-2-3
Records: Hawai'i Hilo 5-8, Cal Lutheran 10-8