LAS VEGAS, Nev.  – The No. 41 University of Hawai`i men's tennis team concluded its four-match Las Vegas road trip with a tight 4-3 loss to No. 69 Oklahoma State at the Fertitta Tennis Complex. The Rainbow Warrior dropped to 7-5 on the year with all five losses coming against ranked squads on the road.  

 

The two teams last met in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament as Hawai'i gained their first-ever NCAA win with a 4-3 decision. But in this year's rematch the Cowboys (4-4) got the better of UH, despite the Rainbow Warriors getting off to a fast start.

 

UH picked up an impressive point in doubles—the fourth time in 12 matches this year they have done so—to start the day. Rainbow Warriors Andreas Weber and Philipp Eberhard led the way. The German duo completed a UH doubles sweep with an 8-6 upset of No. 12 Aleksey Bessonov and Oleksandr Nedovyesov.

 

Oklahoma State, however, recovered in singles action, taking four of six contests. UH's  two wins came from sophomore Leo Rosenberg at the No.3 court and from Dmytro Kovalyov on the No. 6 court. Rosenberg improved his singles record to a perfect 11-0 after a 6-3, 6-1 straight-set win over Ilija Martinoski. Kovalyov, meanwhile, picked up his third singles win in a row by out-lasting Maxi Kuhn, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4.

 

UH dropped the other four matchups with Dennis Lajola and Weber both suffering tough, three-set losses at the top two courts.

 

UH now returns to Honolulu to host its first home match in nearly two months. The Rainbow Warriors will  face its fifth ranked opponent in the last six matches when they square off with  No. 14 Louisville on Wednesday, March 17.  First serve is 3:00 p.m. at the UH Tennis Complex.

 

1. Weber Eberhard (UH) def. No. 12 Oleksandr Nedovyesov/Aleksey Bessonov (OSU), 8-6

2. Dennis Lajola/Daniel Llarenas (UH) def. Maxi Kuhn/IlijiMartinoski (OSU), 8-2

3. Leo Rosenberg/Jeremy Tweedt (UH) def. Anton Bobytskyi/Eric West (OSU), 8-4

 

1. No. 15 Oleksandr Nedovyesov (OSU) def. Dennis Lajola (UH), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4*

2. No. 61 Anton Bobytskyi (OSU) def. Andreas Weber (UH), 6-2, 1-6, 6-2

3. Leo Rosenberg (UH) def. Ilija Martinoski (OSU), 6-3, 6-1

4. Aleksey Bessonov (OSU) def. Jeremy Tweedt (UH), 6-2, 6-0

5. Eric West (OSU) def. Philipp Eberhard (UH), 6-3, 6-4

6. Dmytro Kovalyov (UH) def. Maxi Kuhn (OSU), 6-7, 7-5, 6-4