WAIPAHU - The Hawai'i men's tennis team nearly handed Azusa Pacific its first loss of the season but came up short, 5-2, Monday afternoon, at the Central Oahu Tennis Complex. The Rainbow Warriors fell to 8-13 on the year.

The Rainbow Warriors, who suffered a 6-1 loss to the Cougars, March 22 in Azusa, Calif., tied the match at 2-2 after Dalibor Ptak and Jarrod Diepraam won their matches at the Nos. 1 and 5 singles courts. But within moments of each other the Cougars, the top-ranked team in the NAIA, pulled out victories at No. 6, as Tom Jelsma swept Jamie Migia, 6-4, 6-4, and at No. 5 as David Goodman outlasted Bryon Weinberg, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (3) to win the match.

APU, who won the doubles point by winning the Nos. 2-3 courts, improved to a perfect 22-0 on the year.

Ptak partnered with Ryan Sceats at No. 1 to win their match, 9-8 (5), over Sam Fletcher and Adam Davidson for UH's lone doubles win. After being bumped to No. 2 singles the past four matches, Ptak moved back to the top spot and avenged an earlier loss to Fletcher with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Diepraam also rebounded from a three-set loss to Gordon Hong last month, with a straight-set victory, 7-5, 6-3.

The Rainbow Warriors finish their home slate against in-state rival Hawai'i Pacific, Friday, April 16, at 2:00 p.m., at the Central Oahu Tennis Complex.


Match Results
Azusa Pacific def. Hawai`i, 5-2
Singles
1. Dalibor Ptak def. Sam Fletcher (APU), 6-3, 6-4
2. Boris Bakalov (APU) def. Ryan Sceats, 6-0, 6-1
3. David Goodman (APU) def. Byron Weinberg, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (3)
4. Adam Davidson (APU) def. Derrick Lajola, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-2
5. Jarrod Diepraam def. Gordon Hong (APU), 7-5, 6-3
6. Tom Jelsman (APU) def. Jamie Migia, 6-4, 6-4

Doubles
1. Ptak/Sceats def. Fletcher/Davidson (APU), 9-8 (5)
2. Jelsman/Bakalov (APU) def. Lajola/Weinberg, 8-3
3. Hong/Goodman (APU) def. Diepraam/Marold, 8-5



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