LONG BEACH, Calif. - The Hawai`i women's tennis team opened its six-match road trip through southern California with a 7-0 loss to No. 47 Long Beach State, Saturday, at the 49er Tennis Courts. The Rainbow Wahine are still in search of their first dual match win of the 2006 season after falling to 0-5.

The 49ers got off to a quick start by sweeping the three double matches, including an 8-0 victory by Katy Williams and Sandra Rocha over UH's Kana Aikawa and Samanta Cappella at No. 1. In a battle of sibling rivalry, older sister Krystina Katayama and partner Hannah Grady defeated UH freshman Erin Katayama and Julia Sandborn, 8-3 at the No. 2 court. Both sisters prepped at Punahou School.

The Beach continued their dominance in singles play, with straight set victories in each of the six matches. Grady defeated Aikawa, 6-0, 6-1 at the top singles spot. Sophomore Chloe Bihag put up the biggest fight for the Rainbow Wahine, before falling to Williams, 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 2 court.

UH continues its road trip at Loyola Marymount, Sunday, Feb. 19. Doubles play starts at 11:00 a.m. PST (9:00 a.m. HST) at the LMU Tennis Center.

Match Results
Long Beach State def. Hawai`i, 7-0
Singles (each match worth one team point)
1. Hannah Grady (LBSU) def. Kana Aikawa, 6-0, 6-1
2. Katy Williams (LBSU) def. Chloe Bihag, 6-3, 6-2
3. Stephanie Bengson (LBSU) def. Erin Katayama, 6-1, 6-1
4. Sandra Rocha (LBSU) def. Samanta Cappella, 6-0, 6-2
5. Rachel Porsz (LBSU) def. Julia Sandborn, 6-0, 6-3
6. Emmanuelle Tabatruong (LBSU) def. Fenja Shaw, 6-0, 6-3

Doubles (must win 2 of 3 for one team point)
1. Williams/Rocha (LBSU) def. Aikawa/Cappella, 8-0
2. Grady/K. Katayama (LBSU) def. Sandborn/E. Katayama, 8-3
3. Bengson/Porsz (LBSU) def. Bihag/Florence Wasko, 8-3

-UH-