LA JOLLA, Calif.  – The No. 4 Hawai'i Pacific University women dropped their first match of the season on Friday as No. 14 UC San Diego tripped up the Sharks 5-4 at Northview Tennis Courts.
 
The Sharks (7-1, behind after doubles, took the lead on the Tritons (8-5) before UCSD won three of the last four singles points.
 
The Sharks got the early advantage by winning at No. 2 doubles with 11th ranked Lara Meccico and Barbora Kijasova taking an 8-4 decision from Madison Hale and Alexandra Weil. But UCSD answered with Ashley Chao and Becky Chou beating Lena Lutzeier and Oceane Adam 8-4 at No. 1.
 
The pivotal point was at No. 3 doubles, where the Tritons Nousha Nawamooz and Chloe Wight won a tiebreaker over Debora Echeverria and Leticia Gonzales dos Santos 8-7 (7-4) for the lead.
 
HPU came back for the lead winning the top two singles points with ease. No. 10 Meccico ripped Chou 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2, then ninth ranked Lutzeier beat Chao 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 to put the Sharks up 3-2. UCSD tied the match after Wight beat Gonzales dos Santos 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6.
 
The surprise for the Sharks followed with the No. 3 singles. The Tritons Weil upset No. 21 Adam 7-5, 6-2 to grab a 4-2 advantage, then clinched the win as Jasmine Hosseini beat Echeverria 6-1, 6-4.
 
A final bright spot for the Sharks was the final singles point where Kijasova closed out 40th ranked Valeria Corral 6-4, 6-2
 
HPU takes on No. 5 West Florida on Saturday in the San Diego area. First serve is scheduled for 7 a.m. HST (9 a.m. PST).