WICHITA FALLS, Texas – No. 8 Hawai'i Pacific University got strong play from the middle of the lineup to defeat No. 15 Midwestern State 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon at the MSU Tennis Center.
 
The Sharks (5-2) claimed the doubles point against the Mustangs (5-3), then claimed the middle of the singles order to take the match.
 
Mihoki Miyahara and Marleen Tilgner teamed at No. 1 doubles to beat Ashley Ramirez/Taylor Gray 6-1, but the MSU pair of Casie Curry/Lea Cizeron bettered the No. 2 HPU duo of Elodie Busson/Heloise Le Normand 6-3. The Sharks claimed the point when Sarah Ikioka and Nicole Ballach downed Emilija Visic/Juliette Mary 6-4 at No. 3.
 
HPU jumped out to a quick 3-0 advantage as Miyahara defeated Ramirez 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3 and Le Normand was right behind at No. 4 beating Visic 6-0, 6-1.
 
Midwestern answered with victories in the top two positions as Cizeron won at No. 1 against HPU's Busson 6-2, 6-1, and 43rd ranked Curry beat Tilgner 6-2, 6-3.
 
It was court five that gave HPU the win, as Ikioka battled Emilija Segetlija an extra game in both sets before winning 7-5, 7-5.
 
In the unfinished No. 6 position, HPU's Nicole Ballach split sets with Gray 6-2, 3-6 and held a 4-3 lead when the match was called.
 
The Sharks travel up Interstate 44 to Oklahoma City where they play in the first ITA Division II National Indoor Championship in the suburb of Edmond, Okla., at the Oak Tree Country Club Tennis Center. The sixth seeded Sharks face third seeded Indianapolis on Friday at 10:30 a.m. HST (2:30 p.m. CST).