HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i women's tennis team stayed red-hot with a thrilling 4-3 win over No. 74 Washington State Thursday at the UH Tennis Complex. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 7-5 on the season with their fifth straight victory.

 

The match started with singles play as the teams split, 3-3. The match was ultimately decided in doubles action with UH winning two of three matches to take the decisive point. In a dramatic finish, the duo of Sophie Kobuch and Anja-Vanessa Peter rallied past Ekaterina Kamendova and Aleksandra Cekic, 8-6, to secure the Rainbow Wahine win. Kobuch and Peter found themselves down 6-4, but won the final four games to clinch the match and keep UH's win streak alive.

 

In singles play, the Rainbow Wahine got wins from Kuboch, Aglae Van den Bergh and Alyssa Nafarrete. Kuboch and Nafarrete won in straight sets at the No. 1 and 4 courts respectively. Kuboch defeated Kamendova 6-3, 6-2,, and Nafarrete dispatched Biance Selaru 7-6 (3), 6-0. Van den Bergh, meanwhile, out-lasted Marina Nichols, at the No. 4 position, 7-5, 0-6, 6-4. With UH holding a 3-2 lead, the Cougars stayed alive via Elisabeth Fournier's three-set marathon win over Melinda Wong at the No. 3 court.

 

The Rainbow Wahine will face its second straight Pac 10 opponent when it hosts Arizona on Saturday, March 21 at the UH Tennis Complex. First serve is set for 10:00 a.m.

1. Sophie Kobuch (UH) def.  Ekaterina Kamendova (WSU) 6-3, 6-2

2. Aleksandra Cekic (WSU) def. Anja-Vanessa Peter (UH) 6-3, 6-2

3. Elisabeth Fournier (WSU) def. Melinda Wong (UH) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

4. Aglae Van den Bergh (UH) def. Marina Nicolas (WSU) 7-5, 0-6, 6-4

5. Alyssa Nafarrete (UH) def. Bianca Selaru (WSU) 7-6 (3), 6-0

6. Jessica Gomez def. Dasha Lagmay (UH) 6-0, 6-0

 

1. Anja-Vanessa Peter/Sophie Kobuch (UH) def. Ekaterina Kamendova/ Aleksandra Cekic (WSU) 8-6

2. Melinda Wong/Alyssa Nafarrete def. Marina Nicolas/ Bianca Selaru (WSU) 8-0

3. Jessica Gomez/ Elisabeth Fournier (WSU) def. Crystine Ito/Aglae Van den Bergh (UH) 8-0