LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The University of Hawai'i men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference Championships with a 4-1 victory over Idaho, Friday afternoon, at the NMSU Tennis Center.

The fourth-seeded Rainbow Warriors improved to 6-10 on the 2007-08 season, and have now advanced to the semifinals of the WAC Championships for three consecutive seasons. The fifth-seeded Vandals end with a 13-13 record.

UH jumped off to a great start by quickly winning two doubles matches to earn the doubles point. The dynamic duo of junior Sascha Heinemann and sophomore Andreas Weber crushed Idaho's Andrey Potapkin and Stanislav Glukhov, 8-2, at the No. 1 court. The team of freshman Dennis Lajola and junior Jeff Fitch rolled past Robert Chalkey and Andrew Dobbs, 8-3, at the No. 2 position.

Weber and Heinemann have won four-straight matches and the team of Lajola and Fitch has won five-straight matches together.

In singles play, the Rainbow Warriors clinched victory by winning three singles matches. At the No. 6 court, Fitch beat Hugh McDonald, 6-2, 6-4. Weber dropped Timothy Huynh in straight sets at the No. 3 position, 6-4, 6-2. Weber has won his last five singles matches. Sophomore Spence Mendoza clinched victory for the Rainbow Warriors by outlasting Paulo Miranda in three sets, 6-0, 3-6, 6-2.

UH hopes to extend its four-match winning streak against top seed and 32nd-raniked Boise State in the semifinals of the WAC Championships, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. at the NMSU Tennis Center.

Tennis Match Results
University of Idaho vs Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
Apr 25, 2008 at Las Cruces, N.M.
(NMSU Tennis Center)
#92 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors 4, University of Idaho 1

Singles
1. Dennis Lajola (UH) vs. Andrey Potapkin (IDAHO) 6-1, 6-7, 1-3, unfinished
2. #108 Sascha Heinemann (UH) vs. Stanislav Glukhov (IDAHO) 7-5, 6-6, unfinished
3. Andreas Weber (UH) def. Timothy Huynh (IDAHO) 6-4, 6-2
4. Robert Chalkey (IDAHO) def. Craig Faulk (UH) 6-0, 6-1
5. Spence Mendoza (UH) def. Paulo Miranda (IDAHO) 6-0, 3-6, 6-2
6. Jeff Fitch (UH) def. Hugh McDonald (IDAHO) 6-2, 6-4

Order of Finish: 4, 6, 3, 5*
Did Not Finish: 1, 2

Doubles
1. Sascha Heinemann/Andreas Weber (UH) def. Andrey Potapkin/Stanislav Glukhov (IDAHOM) 8-2
2. Dennis Lajola/Jeff Fitch (UH) def. Robert Chalkey/Andrew Dobbs (IDAHOM) 8-3
3. Craig Faulk/Spence Mendoza (UH) vs. Hugh McDonald/Paulo Miranda (IDAHOM) 5-4, unfinished

Order of Finish: 1, 2
Did Not Finish: 3

Match Notes:
University of Idaho 13-13
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors 6-10; National ranking #92
WAC Quarterfinals
UH - No. 4 Seed
UI - No. 5 Seed
T-2:47

-UH-