PENSACOLA, FL (April 3, 2015) – The seventh-ranked Hawai'i Pacific Women's Tennis Team (17-4) rebounded with two wins in the last two days on a neutral court in Pensacola. Yesterday HPU took down #23 Valdosta State (8-8) 8-1 and today the Sharks beat the top team in NAIA, Georgia Gwinnett College (6-5), 5-0.
Against Valdosta, HPU took a 2-0 lead before the first serve after the Blazers had to forfeit #3 doubles and #6 singles due to a lack of healthy players, although it wouldn't end up factoring in the outcome of the match.
The Sharks had little trouble winning the other two doubles matches as
Kristyna Hancarova and
Nicole Hoynaski (ranked #11) won 8-2 while
Lorena Gheorghe and
Lea Kruse-Utermann were victorious by an 8-3 count.
Sofia Tavitian (6-0, 6-1) and Gheorghe (6-3, 6-0) kept the domination rolling into singles. Hoynaski (2-6, 6-2, 6-0) and Kruse-Utermann (6-4, 3-6, 1-0) were each pushed to a third set but prevailed.
HPU's superiority in doubles spilled over into today's match against the 2014 NAIA National Champions as HPU went 3-0 vs. GGC. The top two teams of Hancarova/Hoynaski and Gheorghe/Kruse-Utermann lost a combined three games.
Vivian Hansen and Tavitian also won at third doubles, 8-5.
It was a race in singles to see who would finish off the match. Hoynaski continued her strong play on this trip with a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles. Gheorghe had a similar experience, winning 6-1, 6-1 at fourth singles. Kruse-Utermann and Hansen were both winning when the match was halted.
HPU closes the road trip tomorrow against #26 Concordia College (New York) in Pensacola.
4/2/15 Box Score4/3/15 Box Score
