SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of Hawai`i women's tennis team started action Thursday in the USTA/ITA Regional Tennis Championships hosted by San Diego State at the Barnes Tennis Center.

 

Nearly 100 players from a dozen West Coast schools are competing in the five-day tournament. Eight Rainbow Wahine were in action on the opening day with both singles and doubles competition underway. 

 

Katarina Poljakova is the lone survivor in the championship bracket for UH. The sophomore was impressive in her two wins picking up a  6-2, 6-3 victory over Jane Huh of Arizona in the opener, then sweeping through Estelle LaPorte of Loyola Marymount 6-0, 6-0. Poljakova will now face No. 2 seed Andrea Remynse of USC on Friday in the round of 32.

 

Meanwhile, the seven other Rainbow Wahine could get no further than the round of 64. Magdalena Ploch, Mari Tadaki and Natasha Zorec each won their opening round match, but would be eliminated in the next round. Those three players, along with Dasha Lagmay, Alyssa Nafarrete, Barbara Pinterova and Aglae Van den Bergh are now relegated to the consolation bracket which begins on Friday.

 

In doubles competition, two teams remain in contention. The duo of Nafarette and Van den Berg advanced to the round of 32 with a tight 9-8 (5) win over Jane Huh and Susan McRann of Arizona. Meanwhile, the seventh-seeded pair of Pinterova and Poljakova are locked into the round of 16 after a first-round bye and an 8-6 win over of Jill Damion and Kiersten Meehan of UC Santa Barbara in the round of 32.

 

Magdalena Ploch (UH) def. Julia Wais (SDSU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3

Mari Tadaki (UH) def. Maja Sujika (USD), walkover

Michelle Brycki (ASU) def. Aglae Van den Bergh (UH) 6-0, 6-2

Adriana Radinovic (LMU) def. Dasha Lagmay (UH) 6-3, 6-1

Natasha Zorec (UH) def. Melissa Valenzuela (LMU) 6-2, 6-2

Katarina Poljakova (UH) def. Jane Huh (UA) 6-2, 6-3

 

Laura Claus (USD) def. Alyssa Nafarette (UH) 6-0, 3-6, 6-2

Pam Montez def. Barbara Pinterova (UH) 6-2, 6-3

Jacqueline Cako (ASU) def. Magdalena Ploch (UH) 6-2, 6-4

Emma Coiffi (SDSU) def. Mari Tadaki (UH) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4

(3) Allison Ramos (USC) def. Natasha Zorec 7-6 (4), 6-4

Katarina Poljakova (UH) def. Estelle LaPorte (LMU) 6-0, 6-0

 

Nafarette/Van den Berg def. Jane Huh/Susan McRann (UA) 9-8 (5)

Klaudia Malenovska/Rachel Manasse (LBSU) def. Zorec/Ploch (UH) 8-1

Alicia Aguillar/Julia Wais (SDSU) def. Lagmay/Tadaki (UH) 8-3

 

(7) Pinterova/Poljakova (UH) def. Jill Damion/Kiersten Meehan (UCSB) 8-6