INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—The top-seeded University of Hawai'i women's tennis team held off Cal State Fullerton in the Big West Championship tournament semifinal match, 4-1 on Saturday morning. Hawai'i jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the last four singles matches all went to four sets. The Rainbow Wahine prevailed with No. 6 Michelle Pits clinching the win and a spot in tomorrow's championship match with a three-set win over Danielle Pham at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 16-6 while the Titans record-setting season ended at 19-4.
 
Hawai'i won the doubles point to start the match, getting wins on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. UH's No. 3 duo of Marina Hruba and Michelle Pits defeated Cal State Fullerton's Masako Makiba and Danielle Pham, 6-2. Cindy Nguyen and Klara Pribylova then knocked off Karla Portalatin and Sarah Nuno, 6-3 to capture the doubles point on the No. 2 court.
 
In singles, the 'Bows won the first two matches to take a 3-0 lead. UH's Nikola Dolakova cruised past Makiba in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1 on the No. 5 court. Hruba, playing at No. 3, then defeated Portalatin, 6-3, 6-4. The Titans' No. 4 Nuno came back to win the final two sets to down UH's Roxanne Resma, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to cut their deficit to 3-1. But Pits, who dropped the second set, rebounded to win the third set over Pham, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to lift the 'Bows to the win, 4-1.
 
The Big West championship match will be a rematch from last season with Hawai'i once again battling UC Santa Barbara for the conference title and a ticket to the NCAA tournament. The Gauchos defeated Long Beach State, 4-1 in the other semifinal match of the day. Last season, UCSB swept the Rainbow Wahine to end UH's season in 2016. It is just the second time that the 'Bows have advanced to the championship match in the Big West tournament. Hawai'i and UCSB are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in this year's tourney. The championship match will be held on Sunday, April 30 at 6:00 am (HT) at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Big West Women's Tennis Tournament Semifinals
Hawaii 4, Cal State Fullerton 1  
Apr 29, 2017
at Indian Wells, CA (Indian Wells Tennis Garden)

Singles competition
1. Petra Melounova (UH) vs. Alexis Valenzuela (CSF) 4-6, 6-4, 3-3, unfinished
2. Cindy Nguyen (UH) vs. Camille De Leon (CSF) 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 5-1, unfinished
3. Marina Hruba (UH) def. Karla Portalatin (CSF) 6-3, 6-4
4. Sarah Nuno (CSF) def. Roxanne Resma (UH) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Nikola Dolakova (UH) def. Masako Makiba (CSF) 6-2, 6-1
6. Michelle Pits (UH) def. Danielle Pham (CSF) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Petra Melounova/Roxanne Resma (UH) vs. Alexis Valenzuela/Camille De Leon (CSF) 5-2, unfinished
2. Cindy Nguyen/Klara Pribylova (UH) def. Karla Portalatin/Sarah Nuno (CSF) 6-3
3. Marina Hruba/Michelle Pits (UH) def. Masako Makiba/Danielle Pham (CSF) 6-2

Match Notes:
Cal State Fullerton 19-4
Hawaii 16-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,3,4,6)
T-2:45