IRVINE, Calif. – The fourth-seeded University of Hawai'i men's tennis team nearly pulled off the upset over top-seeded Cal Poly falling 4-3 in the semifinals of the Big West Tournament Saturday at the Orange County Great Park.

The Rainbow Warriors (5-4) were neck to neck with the Mustangs (14-7) throughout the match, with the final decision falling upon the outcome of the No. 3 singles courts, where UH's Blaz Seric played a nail-biting three-set match against Cal Poly's Antoine Noel. 

With the dual tied at 3-3, all eyes were on the No. 3 court, where two players split the first two sets, with Seric taking the first 7-5 and Noel winning the second 6-2. The two battled it out in the third before it was finally settled in a tie-breaker as Noel pulled out a 9-7 win, clinching the dual. 

The Rainbow Warriors began the day by taking the doubles point . UH's Tristan Martins and Simao Telo Alves outplayed Gary Vardanyan and Alex Stater, 6-2 on Court #3, which clinched the point. UH's Andre Ilagan and Lucas Labrunie secured Court #1 after beating Joe Leather and Roman Shenkiryk, 6-3.

Entering singles with a 1-0 lead, Hawai'i gained more momentum with Ilagan quickly taking Stater in two sets, 6-4, 6-0, on the No. 1 court. Almost at the same time, the Mustangs won the No. 5 court with Fernando Fonseca defeating Martins, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. Adding to the Mustang's win column, Axel Labrunie fell to Leather after a tiebreaker first set, 7-6 (3), 6-2 at No. 4.

The remaining singles matches proved competitive, with all of them being played to three sets. After Telo Alves fell to Gary Vardanyan on the No. 6 court, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, Lucas Labrunie pulled out the win over Noah Berry at Court #2, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, leaving both teams with three wins apiece and setting up the dramatic finish.

Despite the outcome, the match marked the second time the Rainbow Warriors advanced to the Big West Tournament semifinals.

Big West Tournament Semifinals
Cal Poly 4, Hawai'i 3
May 1, 2021
Irvine, Calif. (Orange County Great Park)
 
Doubles
1. Andre Ilagan/Lucas Labrunie (UH) def. Joe Leather/Roman Shenkiryk (CP) 6-3
2. Andrew Whitehouse/Antoine Noel (CP) vs. Blaz Seric/Axel Labrunie (UH) 5-5, Unfinished
3. Tristan Martins/ Simao Telo Alves (UH) def. Gary Vardanyan/Alex Stater (CP) 6-2
Order of finish: (1, 3*)
 
Singles
1. Andre Ilagan (UH) def. Alex Stater (CP) 6-4, 6-0
2. Lucas Labrunie (UH) def. Noah Berry (CP) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
3. Antoine Noel (CP) def. Blaz Seric (UH) 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7)
4. Joe Leather (CP) def. Axel Labrunie (UH) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
5. Fernando Fonseca (CP) def. Tristan Martins (UH) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
6. Gary Vardanyan (CP) def. Simao Telo Alves (UH) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
Order of finish: (1, 5, 4, 6, 2, 3*)