WAIKOLOA, Hawai`i - For the second consecutive day, the Hawai`i men's tennis team struggled against a nationally ranked team, falling to Western Athletic Conference foe Rice, 7-0 at the Waikoloa Resort on the Big Island. The Rainbow Warriors (0-3), who dropped all six singles and three doubles matches, have lost each of its three dual matches to teams ranked in the final ITA national rankings last year.

The bright spot was the play of newcomer Dalibor Ptak, who joined the team this week after transferring from the College of the Desert. At No. 2 singles, Ptak extended Rice's William Barker, last season's 21st ranked player, to three sets before falling, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. In addition, Ptak teamed with Ryan Sceats at No. 1 doubles in a hard-fought loss to last year's ITA doubles team of the year, Barker and brother Richard Barker, 8-4.

For the next three days, the team will split up and compete in a Flight Tournament, which features players from Texas, Rice, and William & Mary. UH concludes their week-long stay on the Big Island with a dual match against William & Mary, Jan. 10.

Match Results
Rice def. Hawai`i, 7-0
Singles
1. Robert Searle (RU) def. Ryan Sceats, 6-1, 6-0
2. William Barker (RU) def. Dalibor Ptak, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
3. Richard Barker (RU) def. Derrick Lajola, 6-1, 6-2
4. Tony Haerle (RU) def. Bryon Weinberg, 6-4, 6-3
5. Vuk Rajevac (RU) def. Jarrod Diepraam, 6-2, 6-3
6. Jason Mok (RU) def. Jamie Migia, 6-4, 6-1

Doubles
1. Barker/Barker (RU) def. Sceats/Ptak, 8-4
2. Haerle/Rajevac (RU) def. Lajola/Diepraam, 8-0
3. Rodrigo Gabriel/Takehiko Morita (RU) def. Weinberg/Migia, 8-6



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