HONOLULU--The University of Hawai'i men's tennis team (3-4. 0-0 Big West) raced out to a 5-0 lead to defeat St. Mary's before the Gaels were able to notch a pair of wins to end the day. Tuesday's match was the first of two against the Gaels at the UH Tennis Complex. In the win, UH head coach Joel Kusnierz reocrded his first home win of his coaching career against his alma mater, St. Mary's. 

Hawai'i got off to a good start by winning the doubles point with victories at No. 3 and 1. UH's No. 3 duo of Chia-Hua Lu and Simao Telo Alves knocked off Filipe Rincon and Abhishek Bastola, 6-3 to open the match. Hawai'i's No. 1 team of Andre Ilagan and Lucas Labrunie then edged out James Watt and Boris Reckow in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (3) to capture the doubles point for the early 1-0 lead.

The Rainbow Warriors reeled off wins on courts 6, 1, 4, and 3 to start singles competition. UH's No. 6, Tristan Martins started things off with a quick 6-2, 6-1 win over SMC's Recow. Ilagan then defeated St. Mary's Watt in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4 on the No. 1 court while No. 4 Axel Labrunie cruised past Bastola, 6-1, 6-1 to clinch UH's first home win of the season. Hawai'i's Blaz Seric defeated Rincon in straight-sets, 6-2, 6-2 to give UH a 5-0 lead. St. Mary's then notched their first two wins in singles with Matis Bot beating Alves, 6-3, 6-4 and Karlo Divkovic holding off Lucas Labrunie in a hard fought match, 6-4, 7-6(0).

The Rainbow Warriors and Gaels will face off again on Wedenesday, Feb. 5 at 3:00 p.m. at the UH Tennis Complex.

Hawaii 5, St. Mary's 2
Feb 04, 2020 at Honolulu, HI (UH Tennis Complex)
 

Singles competition

1. Andre Ilagan (UH) def. James Watt (SMC) 6-2, 6-4

2. Karlo Divkovic (SMC) def. Lucas Labrunie (UH) 6-4, 7-6 (7-0)

3. Blaz Seric (UH) def. Felipe Rincon (SMC) 6-2, 6-2

4. Axel Labrunie (UH) def. Abhishek Bastola (SMC) 6-1, 6-1

5. Matis Bot (SMC) def. Simao Telo Alves (UH) 6-3, 6-4

6. Tristan Martins (UH) def. Boris Reckow (SMC) 6-2, 6-1

 

Doubles competition

1. Andre Ilagan/Lucas Labrunie (UH) def. James Watt/Boris Reckow (SMC) 7-6 (0-3)

2. Blaz Seric/Axel Labrunie (UH) vs. Matis Bot/Karlo Divkovic (SMC) unfinished

3. Chia-Hua Lu/Simao Telo Alves (UH) def. Felipe Rincon/Abhishek Bastola (SMC) 6-3

 

Match Notes

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