IRVINE, Calif. – The fifth-seeded University of Hawai'i women's tennis team saw its season come to an end with 4-0 loss to top-seeded UC Santa Barbara in the semifinal round of the Big West Tournament at the Irvine Great Park.
 
The Rainbow Wahine finish the season at 7-8 and with it, an illustrious career for Petra Melounova, who will be remembered as one of the program's most decorated players. The three-time Big West Player of the Year was on the losing end of a pair of tiebreakers, which clinched the dual for the Gauchos.
 
UCSB (12-3) will move on to the championship match where they will face third-seeded Cal Poly for the title. The Mustangs defeated Cal State Fullerton in the other semifinal. 
 
The Gauchos secured an early 1-0 lead in the match by winning the doubles point after back-to-back wins on Courts #1 and #3. Elizaveta Volodko and Lisa Sentenac held on strong against UH's Petra Melounova and Bojana Markovic, who finished first after being defeated on the No. 1 court, 6-1. Camille Kiss and Marta Gonzalez-Balbe followed, outmaneuvering UH's Alexis Merrill and Lea Romain on the No. 3 court, 6-2.
 
Among the hotly contested singles matches, UCSB was the first to secure victories on the No. 1, 3, and 5 courts. Finishing first on the No. 3 court, Shakhnoza Khatamova defeated UH's Satsuki Takamura, 6-4, 6-1. Kira Reuter also outlasted Romain on the No. 5 court, 6-3, 6-3. With the Gauchos leading the dual 3-0, the clinching point came down to the No. 1 court where Melounova fiercely contested Volodko, taking the game to two tiebreaker sets before falling, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5).

Despite previous injuries and absences, the Rainbow Wahine showed tenacity throughout their run in the Big West Tournament as well as their overall 2021 season. In addition to Melounova, the match also marked the last collegiate match for Hawai'i's other seniors, Nikola Dolakova, Bojana Markovic, and Michelle Pitts. 
 
Big West Tournament Semifinals
UC Santa Barbara 4, Hawai'i 0
April 30, 2021
Irvine, Calif. (Irvine Great Park)
 
Doubles
1. Elizaveta Volodko/Lise Sentenac (UCSB) def. Petra Melounova/Bojana Markovic (UH) 6-1
2. Kira Reuter/Shakhnoza Khatamova (UCSB) vs. Nikola Dolakova/Satsuki Takamura (UH) 4-3, Unfinished
3. Camille Kiss/Marta Gonzalez-Balbe (UCSB) def. Alexis Merrill/Lea Romain (UH) 6-2
Order of finish: (1, 3*)
 
Singles
1. Elizaveta Volodko (UCSB) def. Petra Melounova (UH) 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5)
2. Camille Kiss (UCSB) vs. Nikola Dolakova (UH) 2-6, 6-4, 4-4, Unfinished
3. Shakhnoza Khatamova (UCSB) def. Satsuki Takamura (UH) 6-4, 6-1
4. Lise Sentenac (UCSB) vs. Bojana Markovic (UH) 3-6, 6-4, 1-2, Unfinished
5. Kira Reuter (UCSB) def. Lea Romain (UH) 6-3, 6-3
6. Marta Gonzalez-Balbe (UCSB) vs. Alexis Merrill (UH) 5-7, 5-4, Unfinished
Order of finish: (3, 5, 1*)