BOISE, Idaho – The University of Hawai'i men's tennis team's bid for a fourth straight Western Athletic Conference Tournament title came to an abrupt end with a 4-0 quarterfinal loss to No. 55 Boise State Friday at the Boas Indoor Tennis Center.

 

Playing the toughest schedule in school history, the Rainbow Warriors ended their season with a 6-13 record. Twelve of UH's 13 losses this season came against ranked opponents, including two straight losses to the Broncos to end the season.

 

UH entered the tournament as the three-time defending champions, but were the fifth seed after a 2-4 regular-season mark. The Rainbow Warriors concluded the regular season with a 5-2 loss to Boise State less than two weeks ago and earned a rematch against the Broncos.

 

Uh, however, couldn't overcome the host Broncos, who took the doubles point to start the day then won the first three singles match-ups to seal the victory. Boise State advanced to the semifinals where it will meet No. 1 Fresno State.

 

The match marked the final appearance for UH's three seniors—Dennis Lajola, Daniel Llarenas and Jeremy Tweedt. Lajola, whose singles match versus Damian Hume was tied at one set apiece when it was abandoned, leaves as the most decorated player in program history. The four-time, first-team all-conference selection was named the 2011 WAC Player of the Year in his final season as a Rainbow Warrior.

 

 

1. No. 49 Hume/Scott Sears (BSU) vs. Jonathan Brooklyn/Lajola (UH) 6-4, unfinished

2. Jeff Mullen/Nathan Sereke (BSU) def. Leo Rosenberg/ Tweedt (UH) 8-3

3. Andrew Bettles/Filipp Pogostkin (BSU) def. Danilo Casanova/ Llarenas (UH) 8-2

 

1. No. 119 Hume (BSU) vs. No. 114 Lajola (UH) 6-0, 2-6, 1-1, unfinished

2. Bettles (BSU) def. Rosenberg (UH) 6-2, 6-3

3. Sears (BSU) def. Tweedt (UH) 6-3, 7-5

4. Pogostkin (BSU) def. Brooklyn (UH) 6-4, 6-0

5. Sereke (BSU) vs. Dmytro Kovalyov (UH) 2-0, unfinished

6. Mullen (BSU) vs. Llarenas (UH) 1-0, unfinished