SALT LAKE CITY - The Hawai`i women's tennis team opened its four-day weeklong road trip with a 7-0 loss to Utah, Saturday, at the Eccles Tennis Center. The Rainbow Wahine dropped all six singles matches and two of three doubles contests to fall to 5-13.

The Utes (12-7) captured the doubles point after winning the Nos.1 and 3 positions. However UH's No. 2 doubles team of sophomore Sylvia Jaros and senior Justine Boutet managed to defeat Jen Wencel and Whitney Eber, 8-5.

In singles play, Hawai`i's misfortune began when Jaros was forced to sit out due to a nagging wrist injury. Therefore four players moved up a spot and seldom-used freshman Chloe Bihag was inserted into the lineup. In addition, top singles player Lauren Fitzgerald, ranked No. 86 in the ITA national rankings, suffered from flu-like symptoms.

"I'd like to think the match would have been a little different if Sylvia was in the line-up but after her doubles match she just couldn't go," UH head coach Carolyn Katayama said. "We were competitive but they were a good team and played really tough."

The Utes pulled out three matches in three-sets as Eber rallied past senior Paige Mainor, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3. At the No. 4 court, senior Kimberly Curtis dropped a 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5) decision to Cheyenne Reveche and sophomore Kana Aikawa fell to Allison Hansen, 4-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-6) at No. 5.

The Rainbow Wahine next travel to Idaho State for a match on Monday at 1:00 p.m. at the ISU tennis courts.

Match Results
Utah def. Hawai`i, 7-0
Singles (each match is worth one team point)
1. Emily Kwock (UU) def. Lauren Fitzgerald, 6-4, 6-1
2. Elizabeth Ferris (UU) def. Justine Boutet, 6-0, 6-3
3. Whitney Eber (UU) def. Paige Mainor, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. Cheyenne Reveche (UU) def. Kimberly Curtis, 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5)
5. Allison Hansen (UU) def. Kana Aikawa, 4-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-6)
6. Cinthia Saucedo (UU) def. Chloe Bihag, 6-1, 6-2

Doubles (must win 2 of 3 for one team point)
1. Ferris/Hansen (UU) def. Fitzgerald/Mainor, 8-6
2. Boutet/Sylvia Jaros def. Eber/Jen Wencel (UU), 8-5
3. Reveche/Saucedo (UU) def. Bihag/Curtis, 8-3

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