Posted with permission, article and pictures, from Hawaii Pacific University
SURPRISE, Ariz. – The No. 4 Hawai’i Pacific University men opened play in the 2022 PacWest Conference Championships with a 4-1 win over Fresno Pacific at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex.
The fourth ranked Sharks (15-1) advance to the semifinals with the win against the Sunbirds (7-12).
HPU chalked up the doubles point quickly and nearly made it a clean sweep. Jan Heine and Benjamin Loccisano won at No. 3 against Sven Bangert and Pablo Zubieta 6-2, then the Sharks got the point as 40th ranked Jakub Beran and Robin Sanz took No. 2 over Martin Ramirez and Gregor Kliimask 6-2. The unfinished No. 1 spot had fifth ranked Jan Pleva and Jordi Walder up 5-3 against Ben Cronau and Joshua Wong when the point was won.
The Sunbirds evened the match by taking No. 2 doubles as Ramirez dropped Pleva 6-4, 6-1. But it would be FPU’s only point.
The Sharks took the lower singles positions in 4-5-6 order, with Beran taking Kliimask 6-2, 6-2 Loccisano downing Bangert 6-0, 6-3, and Heine clinching the match with a 6-4, 6-0 win against Zubieta. HPU led the two halted positions as well with second ranked Walder leading Cronau 6-1, 5-5 at No. 1, and 23rd ranked Sanz up on Wong 6-4, 5-3.
The Sharks, the top seed of the tournament, take on fourth seeded Hawai’i Hilo in Friday’s semifinal at 6 a.m. HST (9 a.m. MST) at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex.
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