SAN DIEGO, Calif.--The No. 4 Seed University of Hawai'i men's tennis team (12-6, 4-2 BWC) fell short against 55th-ranked and top-seeded UC Santa Barbara, 4-1 in the Big West Championship semifinals on Saturday at the Barnes Tennis Center. With the win UCSB  avenged their loss to Hawai'i last month and advanced to the championship match.  

Just as in their first meeting against each other this year, the Gauchos jumped out with a 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point. On the No. 1 court, UCSB's 87th-ranked Phillip Jordan and Kai Brady defeated UH's Andre Ilagan and Karl Collins, 6-2. The Gauchos' Pablo Masjuan and Victor Kurstev followed with a 6-2 win over Blaz Seric and Axel Labrunie on Court #2 to capture the doubles point.

UC Santa Barbara's No. 6 Brady dispatched UH's Karl Collins, 6-0, 6-4 to lead off the singles matches. Hawai'i's Kilian Maitre bounced back after getting shut out in the first set to defeat Gianluca Brunkow, 0-6, 6-3, 6-1 for what would end up being UH's only win in the match. UCSB took a 3-1 lead after No. 2 Masjuan held off UH's Labrunie, 6-3, 6-4. UCSB's 120th-ranked Jordan then clinched the match with an upset, three-set win, holding off Hawai'i's 40th-ranked Ilagan, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

The loss marks the end of a breakout season for the Rainbow Warriors under third-year head coach Joël Kusnierz. 

• Hawai'i finishes 2022 with 12 wins--which is the most for the UH men's team since recording 12 wins in 2010.
• It marked its third-straight winning season, which is the longest streak since UH had 12-straight winning seasons between 1981-92.
• Hawai'i  earned an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) ranking as a team for the first time since 2012. The Rainbow Warriors debuted at No. 75 on March 23 and remained ranked until April 26 and rose as high as No. 64 on March 30.
• UH reeled off an eight-match win streak--the longest streak since UH won 14-consecutive matches in 2000 under former head coach Jim Schwitters.
• Hawai'i advanced to the Big West semifinals for just the third time and second-straight season since joining the conference in 2013. 

The loss also concluded the career of fifth-year senior Blaz Seric. In addition, both Andre Ilagan and Simao Telo Alves will be graduating this spring but still have a year of eligibility left.

#55 UC Santa Barbara 4, Hawaii 1
Apr 30, 2022 at San Diego, Calif.
(Barnes Tennis Center)

Singles competition
1. #120 Phillip Jordan (UCSB) def. #40 Andre Ilagan (UH) 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
2. Pablo Masjuan (UCSB) def. Axel Labrunie (UH) 6-3, 6-4
3. Victor Krustev (UCSB) vs. Blaz Seric (UH) 6-7, 6-3, 4-3, unfinished
4. Alejandro Verdi (UCSB) vs. Guillaume Tattevin (UH) 3-6, 7-5, 6-5, unfinished
5. Kai Brady (UCSB) def. Karl Collins (UH) 6-0, 6-4
6. Kilian Maitre (UH) def. Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) 0-6, 6-3, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. #87 Phillip Jordan/Kai Brady (UCSB) def. Andre Ilagan/Karl Collins (UH) 6-2
2. Pablo Masjuan/Victor Krustev (UCSB) def. Blaz Seric/Axel Labrunie (UH) 6-2
3. Stefano Tsorotiotis/Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) vs. Kilian Maitre/Simao Telo Alvez (UH) 5-3, unfinished

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (5,6,2,1)
2022 Big West Men's Tennis Championship Semifinals
No. 1 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 4 Hawai'i
T-2:53