SURPRISE, Ariz. – Defending NCAA National Champion and sixth ranked Hawai'i Pacific University opened defense of its conference title with a 5-1 win over Sonoma State in the quarterfinals of the PacWest Conference Championships at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Center.
 
The Sharks (14-4) won their eighth straight match, while ending the season for the Seawolves (3-12).
 
HPU was paced by play of Filip Dolezel and Torben Otto.
 
Dolezel, ranked seventh nationally in singles, defeated Max Nudell 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. While the 10th ranked Otto ripped Alec Wong 6-0, 6-1.
 
The Sharks won the match when Gerard Andres Rodriguez won at No. 4 singles when Sullivan Roche retired in the second set. Roche won the first set 7-5, but was down to Rodriguez 2-1 when he could not continue.
 
The Sharks were up 2-1 after double, as the Sharks ninth ranked duo of Dolezel/Jakub Hadrava beat Nudell/Wong 8-4 at No. 1, and Juan Erro/Filip Soban beat Roche/Blaine Mengert 8-4.
 
The Seawolves only win was at No. 2 doubles, where Kevin To/Mitchel Heckmann edged Otto/Rodriguez 9-8 with an 11-9 tiebreaker.
 
The other singles positions were pulled from the courts once the team winner was determined.
 
The top seeded Sharks face fourth seeded Hawai'i-Hilo in semifinal action on Friday. The match is set to start at 6 a.m. HST (9 a.m. PDT).