HONOLULU - Azusa Pacific, the NAIA's top ranked team, edged Hawai`i, 4-3, Tuesday, at the UH Tennis Complex. Gordon Hong's three-set victory over UH's Chad Faulk gave the Cougars the deciding point and handed the Rainbow Warriors (6-13) their third consecutive loss.

UH pulled out the doubles point with a thrilling tiebreak victory at No. 2. The teams split the Nos. 1 and 3 courts leaving the winner of No. 2 to capture the team point. UH's Jarrod Diepraam and Ryan Sceats and APU's Boris Bakalov and Tom Jelsma were on serve the entire match until the Rainbow Warrior duo took the lead in the tiebreak and never relinquished it, winning 7-2.

The teams battled back and forth in singles play. The Cougars (18-3) rallied to tie the team score by capturing the Nos. 1, 2, and 6 courts. UH won at No. 2, where Sceats improved to 13-2 in dual matches after his opponent, David Goodman, retired down 6-2, 2-0. Diepraam also won his match, 6-4, 6-4, over Adam Davidson at No. 4 leaving the No. 5 court to settle the score. Hong pulled out the match, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2.

Last season, APU swept the season series winning 6-1 in Azusa and 5-2 in Honolulu.

The Rainbow Warriors wrap up the regular season by hosting Boise State, Wednesday, April 20. UH will then host the Western Athletic Conference Championships, April 21-24 at the UH Tennis Complex.

Match Results
Azusa Pacific def. Hawai`i, 4-3
Singles (each match is worth one team point)
1. Sam Fletcher (APU) def. Dalibor Ptak, 7-5, 6-3
2. Boris Bakalov (APU) def. Bryon Weinberg, 6-2, 6-3
3. Ryan Sceats def. David Goodman (APU), 6-2, 2-0 ret.
4. Jarrod Diepraam def. Adam Davidson (APU), 6-4, 6-4
5. Gordon Hong (APU) def. Chad Faulk, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2
6. Tom Jelsma (APU) def. Derrick Lajola, 6-4, 6-4

Doubles (must win 2 of 3 matches for one team point)
1. Fletcher/Davidson (APU) def. Lajola/Ptak, 8-6
2. Diepraam/Sceats def. Bakalov/Jelsma (APU), 9-8 (2)
3. Faulk/Weinberg def. Hong/Goodman (APU), 8-4

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