SAN DIEGO — Allaire Berl outlasted Aileena Hu in a three-set thriller to clinch a 4-3 victory for the University of Hawai'i women's tennis team over UC Davis in the opening round of the Big West Championships on Wednesday at the Barnes Tennis Center.

The Rainbow Wahine secured the doubles point in dramatic fashion before splitting the singles matches to advance in the tournament bracket.

Berl provided the heroics at the No. 5 spot. After splitting the first two sets, she dominated the third to secure a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win, sending Hawai'i to the next round.

The afternoon began with a tightly contested doubles session. After UC Davis took the first match at No. 2, the pairing of Grete Gull and Sophie Rachor evened the score with a 7-6 (7-4) tiebreaker win at the top flight. UH's Berl and Isabella Pampulov then secured the early 1-0 lead for the Wahine by grinding out a 7-5 win at the No. 3 position.

In singles play, Gull dominated at the No. 1 court, dropping only two games in a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Polina Marakhtanovia to extend the Hawai'i lead. Hannah Galindo added a crucial straight-set victory at No. 3, defeating Vivian Gallaway 7-5, 6-2.

The Aggies mounted a comeback with wins at the No. 4, No. 2, and No. 6 spots to knot the overall match score at 3-3, leaving the outcome to the final match on court five. Berl's composed third set ultimately slammed the door on the UC Davis rally.

The road to a Big West title continues tomorrow as Hawai'i prepares for a quarterfinal showdown against Long Beach State. The Wahine will look to carry today's momentum into the 7 a.m. HT match back at the Barnes Tennis Center.

#GoBows

Hawaii 4, UC Davis 3
Apr. 22, 2026 at San Diego, Calif.
(Barnes Tennis Center)

Singles Competition
1. Grete Gull (UH) def. Polina Marakhtanovia (UCD), 6-1, 6-1
2. Mika Ikemori (UCD) def. Makeilah Nepomuceno (UH), 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
3. Hannah Galindo (UH) def. Vivian Gallaway (UCD), 7-5, 6-2
4. Maya Youssef (UCD) def. Sophie Rachor (UH), 6-3, 6-2
5. Allaire Berl (UH) def. Ailenna Hu (UCD), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
6. Penelope Wong (UCD) def. Isabella Pampulov (UH), 6-2, 1-6, 6-2

Doubles Competition
1. Gull/Rachor (UH) def. Ikemori/Marakhtanova (UCD), 7-6 (7-4)
2. Bringas/Youssef (UCD) def. Galindo/Nepomuceno (UCD), 6-4
3. Berl/Pampulov (UH) def. Wolfe/Hu (UCD), 7-5

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