Box Score (html)

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's tennis team trailed after doubles play, but came back in singles to beat UC Irvine, 5-2, in its Big West Conference opener on Friday at the UH Tennis Complex. The Warriors improve to 2-1 while the Anteaters, who have 14 Big West titles to their credit, drop their season opener.

Jonathan Brooklyn and Dmytro Kovalyov topped the UCI duo of Ryan Cheung and Jonathan Poon at first doubles, 9-8, to open the match. The Anteaters, who finished second in the Big West last season, rallied and won the next two matches to secure the doubles point.

The Warriors dominated the match in singles play to win going away. Hawai'i won the first four finishes, with Chas Okamoto's 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Ryan Cheung at the four to clinch the win. UCI won at second singles, but Brooklyn finished the day with an exciting 7-6, 1-6, 7-6 at the one over Tyler Pham.

UH returns to the court on Sunday, Jan. 20, for a non-conference match versus Sacramento State. Start time at the UH Tennis Complex is set for 9:00 a.m.

Doubles (1,2,3)
Jonathan Brooklyn/Dmytro Kovalyov (UH) def. Ryan Cheung/Jonathan Poon (UCI) 9-8
Jonathan Hammel/Shuhei Shibahara (UCI) def. Danilo Casanova/Nils Schuhmann (UH) 8-5
Tyler Pham/Caryl Hernandez (UCI) def. Jared Spiker/Carter Lam (UH) 8-3
 
Singles (3,5,6,4,2,1)
Jonathan Brooklyn (UH) def. Tyler Pham (UCI) 7-6 (9-7), 1-6, 7-6 (10-7)
Reo Asami (UCI) def. Dmytro Kovalyov (UH) 5-7, 6-0, 7-6 (10-8)
Jared Spiker (UH) def. Jonathan Poon (UCI) 6-2, 6-2
Chas Okamoto (UH) def. Ryan Cheung (UCI) 6-2, 6-2
Danilo Casanova (UH) def. Shuhei Shibahara (UCI) 7-5, 3-3, retired
Nils Schuhmann (UH) def. Caryl Hernandez (UCI) 6-3, 6-3