LONG BEACH, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i women's tennis team (7-5, 5-1 Big West) upset 59^th-ranked Long Beach State, 6-1 on Thursday. For the second-straight match, the 'Bows captured the doubles point to start and rookie Makeilah Nepomuceno clinched the match with a three set victory. The UH win snapped The Beach's eight-match win streak as they fell to 9-3 overall and 2-2 in conference. The Rainbow Wahine have won three of their last four matches.
 
Hawai'i's No. 1 duo of Sheena Masuda and Peppi Ramstedt opened the match with a 6-3 win over The Beach's Cecilia Costa and Johanna Hiesmair. UH's No. 2 team of Nikola Homolkova and Ana Vilcek then captured the doubles point with a 6-3 victory over Diana De Simone and Daria Malaescu.
 
Lpng Beach State won on the No. 3 court to knot the score at 1-1, but then the 'Bows won the next four singles matches to clinch the victory. UH's No. 4 Emma Forgac gave UH a 2-1 lead. She held off The Beach's Daria Malaescu by a break in the first set, then coasted in the second frame for the straight-set win, 6-4, 6-1. On the No. 1 court, Vilcek was blanked in the first set, but then completely turned things around to win the second set by a break and then held on to defeated De Simone in three, 0-6, 7-5, 6-3.
 
For the second straight match, UH's No. 5 Nepomuceno clinched the match with a three set win. This time, Nepomuceno battled back after dropping the first frame and then edged out LBSU's Pamela Badillo for the win, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
 
On the No. 6 court, UH's Joelle Lanz won UH's fifth and final point. She won first set by a tie-breaker and doubled up on The Beach's Daisy Carpenter in the second set, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.
 
UH's No. 2 Ramstedt was locked in a marathon battle with The Beach's Costa. Ramstedt won the first set, 6-2, but Costa outlasted Ramstedt in the second set tie-breaker that finished at 12-10. But Ranstedt then retired to give the win to Costa, 2-6, 7-6 (12-10).
 
The Rainbow Wahine return home to play their final two home matches. First the 'Bows will battle Cal Poly (12-3, 3-1 Big West) on Wednesday, March 26 at 11:00 a.m. HT. Senior Day will be against UC Santa Barbara (4-8, 1-0 BW) on Saturday, March 29 at 11:00 a.m. HT.

Hawai'i 5, Long Beach State 2
03/20/2025 at Long Beach, Calif.
(Rhodes Tennis Center)

Singles competition
1. Ana Vilcek (UHW) def. Diana De Simone (LBSU) 0-6, 7-5, 6-3
2. Cecilia Costa (LBSU) def. Peppi Ramstedt (UHW) 2-6, 7-6 (12-10), retired
3. Thea Jagare (LBSU) def. Nikola Homolkova (UHW) 6-1, 6-3
4. Emma Forgac (UHW) def. Daria Malaescu (LBSU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Makeilah Nepomuceno (UHW) def. Pamela Badillo (LBSU) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Joelle Lanz (UHW) def. Daisy Carpenter (LBSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Sheena Masuda/Peppi Ramstedt (UHW) def. Cecilia Costa/Johanna Hiesmair (LBSU) 6-3
2. Nikola Homolkova/Ana Vilcek (UHW) def. Diana De Simone/Daria Malaescu (LBSU) 6-3
3. Thea Jagare/Pamela Badillo (LBSU) def. Hannah Galindo/Makeilah Nepomuceno (UHW) 6-2

Match Notes:
Hawaii 7-5, 5-1 Big West
Long Beach State 9-3, 2-2 Big West
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,4,1,5,6,2)