HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i women's tennis team (6-5, 2-2 Big West) was defeated by No. 7 Illinois to close out the Rainbow Wahine's homestand on Wednesday afternoon. The Illini improved to 13-2 with a 5-0 win at the UH Tennis Complex.
 
Hawai'i challenged for the doubles point. UH's No. 2 duo of Roxanne Resma and Petra Melounova defeated Illinois' Jaclyn Switkes and Emilee Duong, 6-2. But the Fighting Illini's No. 3 pair of Grace Tapak and Mia Rabinowtiz tied things at 1-1 with a 6-3 win over UH's Marina Hruba and Alzbeta Houbova.  Illinois then captured the point when 60th-ranked Daniela Novak and Sasha Belaya held off UH's Klara Pribylova and Nikola Dolakova by a break, 6-4.
 
In singles, the Fighting Illini's No. 5 Belaya clinched the match in a hard fought win over UH's Resma by just a break in both sets, 6-4,6-4. UH's No. 1 Melounova was edged out in a first set tiebreaker and was leading in the second set and No. 2 Dolakova was tied at a set apiece when the match ended.
 
Hawai'i heads to the mainland for a three-match swing through California, starting with their last non-conference match of the year at No. 26 Stanford on Sunday, March 25 at 2:00 pm. From there, the Rainbow Wahine will head to San Luis Obispo to take on Cal Poly on March 28 followed by a March 30^th match at UC Santa Barbara.
 
#7 Illinois 5, Hawaii 0
Mar 21, 2018 at Honolulu, HI (UH Tennis Complex) 
 

Singles competition

1. Petra Melounova (UH) vs. Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) 6-7 (4-7), 3-1, unfinished

2. Nikola Dolakova (UH) vs. Daniela Novak (ILL) 2-6, 6-4, unfinished

3. Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) def. Marina Hruba (UH) 6-4, 6-1

4. Emilee Duong (ILL) def. Klara Pribylova (UH) 6-4, 6-2

5. Sasha Belaya (ILL) def. Roxanne Resma (UH) 6-4, 6-4

6. Grace Tapak (ILL) def. Alzbeta Houbova (UH) 6-3, 6-3

 

Doubles competition

1. #60 Daniela Novak/Sasha Belaya (ILL) def. Klara Pribylova/Nikola Dolakova (UH) 6-4

2. Roxanne Resma/Petra Melounova (UH) def. Jaclyn Switkes/Emilee Duong (ILL) 6-2

3. Grace Tapak/Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) def. Marina Hruba/Alzbeta Houbova (UH) 6-3

 

Match Notes

Illinois 13-2, 3-1 Big Ten; National ranking #7

Hawaii 6-5, 2-2 Big West

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,3,5,6)