Posted with permission, article and pictures, from University of Hawaii Hilo
SURPRISE, Ariz.--The No. 44 UH Hilo men’s tennis team took care of business Thursday morning against No. 63 Concordia University Irvine in the quarterfinal round of the Pacific West Conference Championships, 4-0.
The Vulcans (8-8) jumped ahead with the doubles point at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Club, but it wasn’t easy.
Joshua Liu and Luca Checchia put away their opponents with a 6-1 victory at No. 2 doubles, but the Eagles evened the score on the first court taking down Martin Soukal and Luke Hamano (6-4).
Alessio Demichelis and Luca Matheiowetz’s third court was the deciding factor, going to a tiebreaker where Demichelis and Matheiowetz ended up clinching the doubles point, 7-6 (7-5).
On the singles courts, Soukal was the first Vulcan to finish, taking a 6-1, 6-2 victory on the first court. This win gave Soukal the all-time most singles wins in PacWest Championship tournament history (7 wins). Previously Hawai`i Pacific’s Clemes Graute was on top of the list with six (2014-16).
Courts three and two followed Soukal’s lead. Checchia defeated CUI’s Jan Simon 6-1, 6-2 and then Demichelis cliched the team victory 6-3, 6-2 on the second court.
The Red and Black advance to the semifinals where they will face inner-island rival and the tournament’s top seed, Hawai’i Pacific. This match will take place at Friday, Apr. 22 at 6 am HST (9 am PST).
#44 Hawai`i Hilo 4, #63 Concordia 0
Surprise Tennis & Racquet Club
Singles competition
1. Martin Soukal (UHH) def. Leon Czarnikau (CUI), 6-1, 6-2.
2. Alessio Demichelis (UHH) def. James Caddies (CUI), 6-3, 6-2
3. Luca Checchia (UHH) def. Jan Simon (CUI), 6-1, 6-2.
4. Luca Matheiowetz (UHH) vs. Mike Jansen (CUI), 6-3, 1-0, UNF.
5. Adam Large (CUI) vs. Augustin Gentile (UHH), 6-2, 3-0, UNF.
6. Younes Chong Liu vs. Joshua Liu (UHH), 6-2, 0-1, UNF.
Order of Finish: 1-3-2
Doubles competition
1. Simon/Jansen(CUI) def. Soukal/Luke Hamano (UHH), 6-4.
2. Simon/Kodiji (CUI) def. Liu/Checchia (UHH), 6-1.
3. Demichelis/Matheiowetz (UHH) def. Large/Czarnikau (CUI), 7-6 (7-5).
Order of Finish: 2-1-3
Records: #44 Hawai`i Hilo 8-8, #63 Concordia 7-11
