SURPRISE, Ariz. – The No. 11 Hawai'i Pacific University women opened the 2021 PacWest Conference Championships with a 4-1 victory over No. 25 Fresno Pacific quarterfinal action at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex.
 
The Sharks (6-2) jumped out in front early, taking the doubles point from the Sunbirds (6-9) on the way to the win.
 
HPU opened by taking No. 3 doubles with Nicole Ballach and Marta Ruszczynska beating Daimy Paula and Alice Marques 6-2, followed by the Sharks No. 2 duo of Valentina Mokrova and Elodie Busson downing Sanne Brull and Alice Di Matteo 6-3. The top pair of Marleen Tilgner and Mihoki Miyahara were leading Mariia Borodii and Lea Falentin 5-4 when the point was clinched.
 
The Sharks took the top two singles positions on the way to the win. At No. 1, 16th ranked Tilgner ripped Borodii 6-1, 6-0, before 20th ranked Busson won at No. 2 over 32nd ranked Falentin 6-1, 6-4.
 
The Sunbirds took a point at No. 5 as Brull defeated Ruszczynska 7-5, 6-3, but HPU closed the match as Mokrova beat Marques 6-4, 6-3 at No. 4.
 
In the unfinished positions, Miyahara split sets at No. 3 with Di Matteo 1-6, 6-3, and Ballach was up 6-1, 6-6 at No. 6 against Paula.
 
The Sharks, the number three seed in the tournament, advance to the PacWest Semifinals to face No. 18 Concordia Irvine, seeded second, on Friday. CUI beat No. 24 Academy of Art 4-0 in quarterfinal play. Match time is slated for 6 a.m. HST (9 a.m. MST) at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex.