Honolulu, Hawaii - The 2009 WAC Tennis Championship kicked off on Thursday in Honolulu, Hawaii. Top-seeded Fresno State, second-seeded Boise State, Nevada and Hawai`i, all advanced to the semifinal round in the women's tournament. On Friday, the men gear up for three matches at UH Tennis Center.
Thursday night's championship banquet marked the announcement of the All-WAC teams. Boise State's Clancy Shields picked up Player of the Year honors for the men, but it was Melanie Gloria of Fresno State who collected her fourth-straight WAC Player of the Year award. Click here to see the complete list of athletes honored.
Results - Day 1, Women only
Women's Match 1, 11:30 a.m. - (8) San Jose State def. (9) Louisiana Tech, 4-0
Women's Match 2, 1:30 p.m. - (2) Boise State def. (7) Utah State, 4-0
Women's Match 3, 1:10 p.m. - (3) Nevada def. (6) Idaho, 4-0
Women's Match 4, 3:30 p.m. - (1) Fresno State def. (8) San Jose State, 4-0
Women's Match 5, 4:20 p.m. - (4) Hawaii def. (5) New Mexico State, 4-1
Results - Day 2
Men's Match 1, 9:00 a.m. - (5) New Mexico State def. (4) Nevada, 4-2
Men's Match 2, 12:00 p.m. - (2) Fresno State def. (7) Utah State, 4-0
Women's Match 6, 12:00 p.m. - (2) Boise State def. (3) Nevada, 4-0
Women's Match 7, 3:00 p.m. - (1) Fresno State def. (4) Hawai`i, 4-0
Men's Match 3, 3:00 p.m. - (3) Hawai`i def. (6) Idaho, 4-1
Men's Bracket
Women's Bracket
Click here to access live stats
Men's Match 1 - (5) New Mexico State def. (4) Nevada, 4-2
After the Wolf Pack came out victorious in the regular-season match, 4-3, the Aggies got their revenge when it mattered most. NM State freshman Matej Stakne earned the clinching point in a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), win over Augustin Myard at the No. 5 position. The Aggies won the doubles point after both their No. 2 and No. 3 teams won. The Wolf Pack came back as first team All-WAC performer Laurent Garcin garnered a 7-5, 6-1, win over New Mexico State's Jim Brouleau at the top position. Freshman Wessim Derbel of Nevada also earned a point at the No. 2 spot after a 6-4, 6-2, defeat of NM State's Roman Stoisavljevic. With the win, New Mexico State moves on to a semifinal match with top-seeded Boise State on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
New Mexico State 4, Nevada 2
Singles competition
1. Laurent Garcin (NEV) def. Jim Brouleau (NMSU) 7-5, 6-1
2. Wessim Derbel (NEV) def. Roman Stoisavljevic (NMSU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Gustave Diep (NMSU) def. Alex Daruty (NEV) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Benjamin David (NEV) vs. Arthur Surreaux (NMSU) 6-3, 5-7, 1-2, unfinished
5. Matej Stakne (NMSU) def. Augustin Myard (NEV) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Stefan McKinney (NMSU) def. Gabe Kanzelmeyer (NEV) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Wessim Derbel/Alex Daruty (NEV) vs. Roman Stoisavljevic/Eduardo Salas (NMSU) 4-5, unfinished
2. Jim Brouleau/Arthur Surreaux (NMSU) def. Laurent Garcin/Augustin Myard (NEV) 8-1
3. Gustave Diep/Stefan McKinney (NMSU) def. Benjamin David/Guerin Smith (NEV) 8-2
Match Notes:
New Mexico State 13-10
Nevada 12-7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (2,1,6,3,5)
Men's Match 2 - (2) Fresno State def. (7) Utah State, 4-0
Second-seeded Fresno State swept two of the three singles matches against seventh-seeded Utah State to take down the Aggies, 4-0. Freshman Remi Boutillier and junior Tejesvi Veerepali had 6-0, 6-0 wins against their opponents at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions, respectively. The Bulldgos also earned wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles positions to take the doubles point early. Sophomore Rikus de Villiers provided the clinching point for the Bulldogs after a 6-1, 6-1, win over USU's Amit Maharaj at the No. 3 position. Fresno State will play the winner of the Hawai`i/Idaho match to be played later today. Tomorrow's semifinal match is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.
#41 Fresno State 4, Utah State 0
Singles competition
1. Mirko Zapletal (FS) vs. Jakob Asplund (USU) 6-3, 0-1, unfinished
2. #61 Rudolf Siwy (FS) vs. Bryan Marchant (USU) 6-0, 4-1, unfinished
3. Rikus de Villiers (FS) def. Amit Maharaj (USU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Remi Boutillier (FS) def. Mike Banks (USU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Tejesvi Veerepali (FS) def. Alex Thatcher (USU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Flavio Mollinedo (FS) vs. Jordan Barlow (USU) 3-6, 3-2, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #37 Mirko Zapletal/Rudolf Siwy (FS) vs. Jakob Asplund/Bryan Marchant (USU) 3-6, unfinished
2. Rikus de Villiers/Remi Boutillier (FS) def. Alex Thatcher/Amit Maharaj (USU) 8-0
3. Taylor Leiby/Tejesvi Veerepali (FS) def. Mike Banks/Jordan Barlow (USU) 8-2
Match Notes:
Utah State 8-13
Fresno State 17-8; National ranking #41
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (5,4,3)
Women's Match 6 - (2) Boise State def. (3) Nevada, 4-0
With the doubles point secured, sophomore Lauren Megale played her way to the deciding point that advanced second-seeded Boise State to the finals of the WAC Championship. Megale defeated the Wolf Pack's Florence De Vrye, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, at the No. 2 position. Freshman of the Year, Vivien Silfany, also earned a win at the No. 3 spot in a 6-2, 6-1 match against Maria Mizyuk. The Broncos now move on to the finals and will play against the winner of the Hawai`i/Fresno State match that is slated to get started at 4:20 p.m. on Friday.
#36 Boise State 4, #66 Nevada 0
Singles competition
1. #80 Pichittra Thongdach (BSU) vs. Caroline Bailly (NEV) 6-2, 2-6, 4-2, unfinished
2. Lauren Megale (BSU) def. Florence De Vrye (NEV) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
3. Vivien Silfany (BSU) def. Maria Mizyuk (NEV) 6-2, 6-1
4. Bianca Jochimsen (BSU) vs. Caroline Stevens (NEV) 6-3, 2-6, 4-3, unfinished
5. Klaudia Wlodarczyk (BSU) vs. Lais Ogata (NEV) 7-5, 3-4, unfinished
6. Laura Baum (BSU) def. Aodhnait Lombard (NEV) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Lauren Megale/Pichittra Thongdach (BSU) vs. Caroline Bailly/Maria Mizyuk (NEV) 8-7, unfinished
2. Vivien Silfany/Klaudia Wlodarczyk (BSU) def. Aodhnait Lombard/Caroline Stevens (NEV) 8-5
3. Laura Baum/Bianca Jochimsen (BSU) def. Lais Ogata/Florence De Vrye (NEV) 8-3
Match Notes:
Nevada 13-9; National ranking #66
Boise State 23-3; National ranking #36
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,3,2)
Men's Match 3 - (3) Hawai`i def. (6) Idaho, 4-1
After surrending the doubles to Idaho, the Rainbow Warriors of Hawai`i battled back to beat the Vandals, 4-1, to advance to the semifinal round in the 2009 WAC Championship. No. 66 Dennis Lajola set the pace for the home team as he dismantled UI's Artem Kuznetsov in the No. 1 position, 6-2, 6-1. Freshman Leo Rosenberg took care of business in the No. 3 spot as he defeated sophomore Alex Joitoiu, 6-1, 6-1. All-WAC second-teamer, Andreas Weber, earned the clinching point in after he beat fellow All-WAC player, Stas Glukhov, 6-1, 6-3. Idaho won the doubles point after Kuznetsov and Glukhov teamed up to take down Rosenberg and Weber in the second spot, 8-5. The Rainbow Warriors will now look to their semifinal match against No. 2-seeded Fresno State on Saturday, at 3:00 p.m. This marks the fourth-straight year Hawai`i will appear in the semifinals.
#68 Hawaii 4, Idaho 1
Singles competition
1. #60 Dennis Lajola (UH) def. Artem Kuznetsov (ID) 6-2, 6-1
2. Andreas Weber (UH) def. Stas Glukhov (ID) 6-1, 6-3
3. Leo Rosenberg (UH) def. Alex Joitoiu (ID) 6-1, 6-1
4. Sascha Heinemann (UH) vs. Rob Chalkley (ID) 7-6 (7-2), unfinished
5. Jeff Fitch (UH) def. Alan Shin (ID) 6-1, 6-4
6. Philipp Eberhard (UH) vs. Tim Huynh (ID) 3-6, 5-2, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Jeff Fitch/Dennis Lajola (UH) def. Hugh McDonald/Alex Joitoiu (ID) 8-2
2. Artem Kuznetsov/Stas Glukhov (ID) def. Leo Rosenberg/Andreas Weber (UH) 8-5
3. Rob Chalkley/Tim Huynh (ID) def. Sascha Heinemann/Craig Faulk (UH) 8-4
Match Notes:
Idaho 16-11
Hawaii 8-9; National ranking #68
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,1,5,2)
Women's Match 7 - (1) Fresno State def. (4) Hawai`i, 4-0
Top-seeded Fresno State earned a chance for a WAC-record eight-straight conference tournament titles on Friday after a 4-0 defeat of the championship host, Hawai`i. The Bulldogs rode the backs of their No. 5 and No. 6 singles player to garner a trip back to the championship match. Laura Pola and Bruna Paes both had convincing wins at their respective positions as Pola beat UH's Melinda Wong, 6-4, 6-2, while Paes defeated Rainbow Wahine freshman Alyssa Nafarrete, 6-3, 6-1. The win sets up a rematch of last year's championship match with Boise State. The match is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at the UH Tennis Complex.
#16 Fresno State 4, Hawaii 0
Singles competition
1. Ellen Linsenbolz (UH) vs. #16 Melanie Gloria (FS) 4-6, 0-5, unfinished
2. Sophie Kobuch (UH) vs. #25 Anastasia Petukhova (FS) 4-6, 0-3, unfinished
3. #66 Renata Kucerkova (FS) def. Anja-Vanessa Peter (UH) 6-2, 6-2
4. Aglae Van den Bergh (UH) vs. Tinesta Rowe (FS) 4-6, 1-3, unfinished
5. Laura Pola (FS) def. Melinda Wong (UH) 6-4, 6-2
6. Bruna Paes (FS) def. Alyssa Nafarrete (UH) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #1 Renata Kucerkova/Anastasia Petukhova (FS) def. Sophie Kobuch/Aglae Van den Bergh (UH) 8-0
2. Alyssa Nafarrete/Ellen Linsenbolz (UH) vs. #13 Melanie Gloria/Tinesta Rowe (FS) 5-6, unfinished
3. Danon Beatty/Laura Pola (FS) def. Anja-Vanessa Peter/Melinda Wong (UH) 8-5
Match Notes:
Fresno State 21-5; National ranking #16
Hawaii 13-13
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (6,5,3)