SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The University of Hawai`i women's tennis team concluded its three-match southern California road trip with a close 4-3 loss at UC Santa Barbara, Saturday morning at the Robertson Gym Courts. The Rainbow Wahine dropped to 4-15 on the year and have lost five straight dual matches while the Gauchos improved to 9-7.
UH jumped off to a great start by winning two of the three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. The team of junior Chloe Bihag and senior Florence Wasko squeezed by Asagi Onaga and Caina Bjornstrom at the No. 2 court, 8-6. The duo of junior Julia Sandborn and senior Kana Aikawa breezed past Kristen Wilson and Bryanna Ojeda at the No. 3 position, 8-3.
In singles play, the Rainbow Wahine won two of the six matches, led by freshman Sophie Kobuch and Bihag. After a close first-set triumph, Kobuch finished strong with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Bjornstrom at the No. 2 court. Bihag dropped Tova Hausman in straight-sets, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 4. Senior Samanta Cappella lost a tough two-set match to Brittany Kausen at the No. 5 court, 6-3, 6-4. At No. 6, Wasko lost a three-set decision to Wilson, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. With the team score tied at 3-3, UC Santa Barbara's Marta Simic clinched the match with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over freshman Julia Hodes at the No. 1 position.
The Rainbow Wahine return home to play Azusa Pacific on Monday, April 9. First serve is set for 4:00 p.m. at the UH Tennis Complex.
UC Santa Barbara def. Hawai`i, 4-3
Doubles (UH wins doubles point)
1. Simic/Charlotte Scatliffe (UCSB) def. Hodes/Kobuch, 8-4
2. Bihag/Wasko def. Onaga/Bjornstrom (UCSB), 8-6
3. Aikawa/Julia Sandborn def. Bryanna Ojeda/Wilson (UCSB), 8-4
Singles (each match worth one team point)
1. Marta Simic (UCSB) def. Julia Hodes, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. Sophie Kobuch def. Carina Bjornstrom (UCSB), 7-5, 6-1
3. Asagi Onaga (UCSB) def. Kana Aikawa, 6-3, 6-1
4. Chloe Bihag def. Tova Hausman (UCSB), 6-1, 6-3
5. Brittany Kausen (UCSB) def. Samanta Cappella, 6-3, 6-4
6. Kristen Wilson (UCSB) def. Florence Wasko, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
-UH-
