HONOLULU--The University of Hawai'i men's tennis team fell to UC Irvine, 6-1 in a Big West Conference match on Saturday afternoon at the UH Tennis Complex. With the win, the Anteaters improve to 11-5 overall and 1-0 in the BWC, while Hawai'i fell to 1-10 overall and 0-2 in conference.

In doubles, the Anteaters captured the first point taking the matches on Courts 2 and 3. No. 2 Jonathan Hammel an d Luca Marquard (UCI) defeated Joakim Pinola and Ruben Blattner (UH), 6-2. UCI's Sebastian Heim and Nico Mertens knocked off UH's Spencer Travalino and Nikolai Storch also by the score of 6-2. Hawai'i's No. 1 duo of Felix Albert and Marcel Chan were leading 5-4, but their match went unfinished.

The Anteaters won three of the first four singles matches to seal their win. UC Irvine's Tyler Pham defeated Hawai'i's Ruben Blattner, 6-1, 6-0 to give the 'Eaters a 2-0 lead. But Hawai'i's Fabian Woehrl then won his match over Jonathan Poon, 6-2, 6-4 to cut their deficit in half at 2-1. The Anteaters, however would win the rest of the singles matches to win 6-1. UH's Travalino and Igor Kolaric both took their matches at No. 5 and 2 respectively, into the third set after the match was already decided. Travalino fell to Hammel, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, while Kolaric and opponent Mertens were locked at a set apiece when the match was decided, so they finished with a 10-point, third set tiebreaker with Mertens edged out Kolaric, 10-8.

The Rainbow Warriors conclude their home slate of matches on Friday, March 25 at 10:00 am against UC Riverside.

UC Irvine 6, Hawaii 1
Mar 24, 2016 at Honolulu, HI
(UH Tennis Complex)

Singles competition (Order of finish: 4,6,3,1,2,5)
1. Heim, Sebastian (UCI) def. Felix Albert (UH) 6-2, 6-4
2. Mertens, Nico (UCI) def. Igor Kolaric (UH) 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-8)
3. Marquard, Luca (UCI) def. Marcel Chan (UH) 6-4, 6-4
4. Pham, Tyler (UCI) def. Ruben Blattner (UH) 6-1, 6-0
5. Hammel, Jonathan (UCI) def. Spencer Travalino (UH) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2
6. Fabian Woehrl (UH) def. Poon, Jonathan (UCI) 6-2, 6-4

Doubles competition (Order of finish: (3,2)
1. Felix Albert/Marcel Chan (UH) vs. Poon, Jonathan/Agbayani, Justin (UCI) 5-4, unfinished
2. Hammel, Jonathan/Marquard, Luca (UCI) def. Joakim Pinola/Ruben Blattner (UH) 6-2
3. Heim, Sebastian/Mertens, Nico (UCI) def. Spencer Travalino/Nikolai Storch (UH) 6-2

Match Notes:
UC Irvine 11-5, 1-0 BWC
Hawaii 1-10. 0-2 BWC