HPU moves into national semifinals after beating California (PA) 5-2

HPU beats California (PA) 5-2, moves into national semifinals

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL - In a battle of Top 10 teams, the ninth-ranked Hawai‘i Pacific women's tennis team upset #6 California (PA) 5-2 on Thursday morning in quarterfinal action of the 2010 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championship.

The victory secures the Sea Warriors a spot in the semifinals while bouncing the Vulcans back to Western Pennsylvania.

HPU began by winning two of the three doubles matches. The Sea Warriors tallied the first points of the morning as Aleksandra Stankovic and Sandra Wikstrom posted an 8-2 win at second doubles.

California's Mariana Oliveira and Jutta Bornefeld briefly evened the match with an 8-5 victory at third doubles, but the Sea Warriors closed the doubles round with the lead when the duo of Zora Vlckova and Ingrid Cseh defeated Jade Pondicas and Anastassiya Zherdeva 8-5 at first doubles.

HPU won three of four completed matches in singles play to clinch the quarterfinal win.

Vlckova added to the Sea Warrior lead after defeating Bornefeld 6-1, 6-0, at first singles, while Stankovic pushed the lead to 4-1 moments later with a 6-1, 6-1 sweep of Oliveira.

Zherdeva gave the Vulcans their first team point with a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles. Cseh clinched the victory at third singles, topping Nina Kowalski 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

HPU faces top-ranked Armstrong Atlantic in its semifinals on Friday 9 a.m. EDT at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, FL.