INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - The fourth-seeded UC Irvine men's tennis team defeated No. 5 seed Hawai'i, 4-0, in the first round of the Big West Tournament Thursday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The 'Eaters (9-14) advance to the semifinals for the third year in a row, and will take on top-seeded UC Santa Barbara Friday at 3 p.m. The Rainbow Warriors (2-15), meanwhile, saw their season come to an end.
UCI took the early 1-0 lead, winning at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. At the third spot, sophomore Vatsal Bajpai and freshman Bruce Man-Son-Hing took down Spencer Travalino/Fabian Woehrl, 6-2, before sophomore Luis Lopez and junior Sebastian Heim clinched the point at the top of the lineup with a 6-3 triumph over Felix Albert/Marcel Chan. Bajpai and Man-Son-Hing kept their win streak intact as they earned their seventh consecutive doubles victory and remained unbeaten against Big West opponents.
The Anteaters carried the momentum into singles as Heim dispatched Albert, 6-2, 6-2, for his fifth-straight win at the No. 1 spot. Lopez also made quick work of Woehrl at No. 3 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Bajpai then delivered the final blow to the 'Bows at the sixth position, upending Eric Kenneth, 7-5, 6-1.
UC Irvine led in all three matches that went unfinished. Man-Son-Hing worked his way back from a first-set loss and was up, 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 at No. 5, while junior Luca Marquard held a 6-2, 6-5 advantage at No. 2. Sophomore Mason Hansen rounded out the trio as he was on top, 7-6 (1), 5-4, at No. 4.
The 'Eaters continue Big West Tournament action tomorrow as they take on top-seeded UC Santa Barbara at 3 p.m. If UCI wins, it will move on to Sunday's 9 a.m. championship match.
No. 4 UC Irvine 4, No. 5 Hawai'i 0
Singles
1. Sebastian Heim (UCI) def. Felix Albert (UH): 6-2, 6-2
2. Luca Marquard (UCI) vs. Igor Kolaric (UH): 6-2, 6-5, unfinished
3. Luis Lopez (UCI) def. Fabian Woehrl (UH): 6-2, 6-2
4. Mason Hansen (UCI) vs. Marcel Chan (UH): 7-6 (7-1), 5-4, unfinished
5. Bruce Man-Son-Hing (UCI) vs. Spencer Travalino (UH): 2-6, 6-4, 1-0, unfinished
6. Vatsal Bajpai (UCI) def. Eric Kenneth (UH): 7-5, 6-1
Order of finish: 1, 3, 6*
Doubles
1. Heim/Lopez (UCI) def. Albert/Chan (UH): 6-3
2. Hansen/Marquard (UCI) vs. Kolaric/Ruben Blattner (UH): 5-5, unfinished
3. Bajpai/Man-Son-Hing (UCI) def. Travalino/Woehrl (UH): 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 3
