SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Hawai'i Pacific University men's tennis team closed the 2018 season on a high note, defeating Biola (Calif.) 5-1 in the fifth place match of the 2018 PacWest Conference Championships at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Center.
 
The Sharks (3-13) ended the season winning their last two matches. The Eagles (7-15) completed their first season in Division II.
 
HPU jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles and never lost another point.
 
The Sharks got on the board with a win at No. 2 doubles with Juan Erro and Benjamin Loccisano beating Logan Blair and Joe Turnquist 8-4, just before they made it 2-0 with a win at No. 3 doubles with Jack Lyttle and Adrian Elduque beating Quentin Lau and Derek James 8-4. The lone loss for the Sharks was at No. 1 doubles as Maxime Gayte and Gerardo Irrarrazabal fell to Philip Westwood and Lucas Lee 8-5.
 
The Sharks quickly recovered in singles. Loccisano was the first to score, punding James 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2, then Gayte doused Westwood 6-0, 6-3 at No. 1 for a 4-1 advantage.
 
HPU won the match at No. 4 singles, with Erro taking down Turnquist 6-3, 6-1. While the other singles points were unfinished, Lyttle was up at No. 5 over Blair 6-0, 4-3 and Irrarrazabal was up at No. 3 over Lee 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 when the match was called. Biola had an advantage at No. 6 as Lau was up on Elduque 6-4, 3-2 at the end of the match.
 
HPU ends the season without reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006, snapping a streak of 11 straight tournament appearances.