SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of Hawai`i women's tennis team completed day one of the Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association West Region Championships, Thursday, at the Barnes Tennis Center. Five singles players and two doubles teams represent UH in this tournament.

 

In doubles play, both Rainbow Wahine teams advanced to the second round. The duo of junior Sophie Kobuch and freshman Anja-Vanessa Peter earned an 8-3 victory over Ali Van Horne and Sianna Simmons of Arizona State. Peter and Kobuch will next play Ali Waters and Andrea Remynse of tennis powerhouse UCLA. The team of freshman Alyssa Nafarrete and sophomore Natasha Zorec blew past Loyola Marymount's Jasmine Heckel and Tina Razloznik, 8-3. Nafarrete and Zorec will compete against Sarah Landsman and Ariane Masschelein of Arizona in the second round.

 

Kobuch and Nafarrete stayed alive in singles play by advancing to the third round. Kobuch, seeded No. 11 and ranked No. 69 in the ITA singles rankings, outlasted Asagi Onaga of UC Santa Barbara, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6. Nafarrete advanced by coming back to defeat Bliss Nixon of Loyola Marymount in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-0. Kobuch will next play Audrey Bulkley of Loyola Marymount and Nafarrete will compete against sixth-seeded Maya Johansson of UCLA.

 

In other singles action, Zorec won her first round match but fell in the second round. The sophomore beat Sofia Novak of UC Santa Barbara 6-3, 6-2, before losing to Julia Trunk of San Diego State, 6-1, 6-1. Peter lost a heartbreaking three-set decision to Maja Sujica of San Diego, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 and senior Melinda Wong dropped a 6-3, 6-2 match to San Diego's Juliette Coupez. Zorec, Wong, and Peter will next play in the consolation singles draw.

 

The five-day individual singles and doubles tournament includes players from 16 West Region teams. The tournament continues throughout the week.