HONOLULU - The No. 55 University of Hawai`i men's tennis team earned its first victory of the 2009 spring season by handily defeating No. 57 San Diego State, 6-1, Saturday at the UH Tennis Complex. 

The Rainbow Warriors (1-1) jumped off to a great start by sweeping all three doubles matches to earn the doubles point.  The duo of freshman Leo Rosenberg and senior Jeff Fitch were down 7-4 to Achim Ceban and Juan Gomez, but fought back to earn a 9-8(5) victory at the No. 1 position. The team of junior Andreas Weber and sophomore Dennis Lajola dropped Bartosz Golas and Tim Schulz van Endert, 8-2 at the No. 2 court and senior Sascha Heinemann and junior Spence Mendoza beat Jordan Colman and Andre Feliz, 8-4 at No. 3.

UH won five of the six singles matches to clinch victory. Lajola, ranked No. 56 in the ITA singles rankings, rolled past Golas in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 1 court. Rosenberg beat Gomez 7-6(3), 6-3 at No. 2. At No. 3, Weber out battled Ceban, 7-6(4), 6-3. Heinemann crushed Luis Rattenhuber, 6-2, 6-1, at the No. 4 position and Fitch powered his way to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Feliz at No. 6.

The Rainbow Warriors will next play three matches on the road, beginning on February 7 with a rematch against No. 25 California.

No. 55 Hawai'i def. No. 57 San Diego State, 6-1

Doubles (UH wins doubles point)

1. Fitch/Rosenberg (UH) def. Ceban/Gomez (SDSU), 9-8(5)

2. Lajola/Weber (UH) def, Golas/Schulz van Endert (SDSU), 8-2

3. Heinemann /Mendoza (UH) def. Colman/Feliz (SDSU), 8-4

Singles

1. No. 56 Dennis Lajola (UH) def. Bartosz Golas (SDSU), 6-3, 6-3

2. Leo Rosenberg (UH) def. Juan Gomez (SDSU), 7-6(3), 6-3

3. Andreas Weber (UH) def. Achim Ceban (SDSU), 7-6(4), 6-3

4. Sascha Heinemann (UH) def. Luis Rattenhuber (SDSU), 6-2, 6-1

5. Tim Schulz van Endert (SDSU) def. Spence Mendoza (UH), 6-2, 6-2

6. Jeff Fitch (UH) def. Andre Feliz (SDSU), 6-3, 6-4

-UH-