MALIBU, Calif. – The University of Hawai`i women's tennis team continued their four-match Southern California road trip with a tough 4-3 loss to No. 51 Pepperdine Tuesday at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center. The Rainbow Wahine dropped to 3-4 on the year with their second straight road defeat.

 

The Waves (4-1) captured two of three doubles courts to capture the first point of the day, before the teams split the six singles matches. In a marathon final match on the No. 6 court, Jackie Owens out-lasted Mari Tadaki 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4) for the deciding point.

 

UH got singles victories from Katarina Poljakova, Natasha Zorec and Alyssa Nafarrete to nearly pull out the victory. Playing at the No. 1 court for the first time this season, Poljakova still proved unstoppable, defeating Arianna Colffer 6-4, 7-6 to move to a perfect 7-0 on the year. Zorec (7-5, 7-6 over Andrea Oates at No. 4) and Nafarrete (6-4, 6-0 over Megan Moore at No. 5) also pulled off straight set wins.

 

Tadaki and Zorec nabbed a 8-6 victory over Oates and Tara Panu for UH's lone doubles win.

 

The Rainbow Wahine will conclude their road swing through California on Thursday, Feb. 10 against Long Beach State. First serve will be at 2:00pm PT (12:00pm HT).

 

No. 51 Pepperdine def. Hawai'i, 4-3
Doubles (Pepperdine wins point)
1. Marie Zalameda/Arianna Colffer (PEP) def. Barbara Pinterova/Katarina Poljakova (UH) 8-6
2. Megan Moore/Khunpak Issara (PEP) def. Magdalena Ploch/Alyssa Nafarrete (UH) 9-7
3. Natasha Zorec/Mari Tadaki (UH) def. Tara Panu/Andrea Oates (PEP) 8-6

Singles
1. Katarina Poljakova (UH) def. Arianna Colffer (PEP) 6-4, 8-6

2. Marie Zalameda (PEP) def. Barbara Pinterova (UH) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2

3. Khunpak Issara (PEP) def. Magdalena Ploch (UH) 6-4, 3-0, retired

4. Natasha Zorec (UH) def. Andrea Oates (PEP) 7-5, 7-6

5. Alyssa Nafarrete (UH) def. Megan Moore (PEP) 6-4, 6-0

6. Jackie Owens (PEP) def. Mari Tadaki (UH) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4)