KAILUA, HI (March 21, 2015) – The Hawai'i Pacific Women's Tennis Team (15-3, #6) defeated Academy of Art (5-3, #12) in a night match at the Kailua Racquet Club on Saturday night. The Sharks won 5-4 over their PacWest rival, although the last Art U point came after the match was decided.

Academy of Art, a dramatically improved team over the last few years, won first and third doubles. The second doubles team of Lea Kruse-Utermann and Lorena Gheorghe potentially saved the match for HPU with a tight 9-7 victory.

HPU was comeback mode after dropping two of the three doubles matches, HPU needed four wins to take the match. Kristyna Hancarova earned another win over a ranked opponent in #43 Nina Gajdosikova (6-2, 6-4) while Kruse-Utermann was also victorious (6-4, 6-1) at fifth singles to put HPU back in the match. Art U won at sixth singles while Gheorghe also won in straight sets (6-2, 7-5) to make it 4-3 HPU. Nicole Hoynaski put the match in the win column for HPU with her 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 win at second singles.

The Sharks now head back on the road when they visit West Florida in Pensacola on April 1st.  

Box Score