LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The University of Hawaii men's tennis team reached the finals of Western Athletic Conference Championship with a 4-3 semifinal upset of top-seeded Boise State Saturday at the Aggie Tennis Center. It was the fifth straight win for UH which advanced to the tournament finals for the first time in school history, while ending the Broncos three-year reign as WAC champs.

The Rainbow Warriors (7-10) will be seeking their first-ever WAC title and subsequent bid to the NCAA Tournament when they face No. 49 Fresno State, a 4-0 winner over New Mexico State in the other semifinal. First serve is Sunday at 10:00 a.m. MDT.

After falling in the semifinals in each of the last two seasons, the Rainbow Warriors finally broke through under head coach John Nelson with a thrilling comeback victory. The Broncos (21-11), ranked No. 32 by the ITA, stormed out to a 3-0 lead by taking the doubles point and a pair of singles victories by No. 94 Luke Shields at the No. 1 court and Piotr Dilaj at No. 4.

One point shy of another semifinal disappointment, the Rainbow Warriors stormed back to win the final four singles matches, capped by a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 tie-breaker win by Jeff Fitch over Boise State's Eric Roberson on the No. 6 court. No. 118-ranked Sascha Heinemann upset No. 77-ranked Clancy Shields, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, at the No. 2 spot, while Andreas Weber defeated Brent Werbeck at the No. 3 position, 7-6, 6-1. Spence Mendoza topped Paul Koenke, 7-6, 6-3, at the No. 5 position, to set up the deciding match between Fitch and Boise State's Eric Roberson.

Tennis Match Results
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors vs. Boise State
Apr 26, 2008 at Las Cruces, N.M.
(NMSU Tennis Center)
#92 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors 4, #32 Boise State 3

Singles competition
1. No. 94 Luke Shields (BSU) def. Dennis Lajola (UH) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
2. No. 108 Sascha Heinemann (UH) def. No. 77 Clancy Shields (BSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
3. Andreas Weber (UH) def. Brent Werbeck (BSU) 7-6, 6-1
4. Piotr Dilaj (BSU) def. Craig Faulk (UH) 6-0, 6-1
5. Spence Mendoza (UH) def. Paul Koenke (BSU) 7-6, 6-3
6. Jeff Fitch (UH) def. Eric Roberson (BSU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6*

Doubles competition
1. #32 Luke Shields/Clancy Shields (BSU) def. Sascha Heinemann/Andreas Weber (UH) 8-3
2. Eric Roberson/Paul Koenke (BSU) def. Jeff Fitch/Dennis Lajola (UH) 8-3
3. Piotr Dilaj/Steve Robertson (BSU) vs. Craig Faulk/Spence Mendoza (UH) 5-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2*
Did Not Finish: 3

Match Notes:
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors 7-10; National ranking #92
Boise State 21-11; National ranking #32
WAC Semifinals
BSU - No. 1 Seed
UH - No. 4 Seed

-UH-