HPU tennis advances to Elite Eight

The No. 10 Hawaii Pacific women’s tennis team advanced to the Elite Eight on Tuesday after sweeping No. 53 West Virginia State 4-0 to open the 2022 NCAA Division II Tennis Championships.

The Sharks (17-8) took the doubles point from the Yellowjackets (14-8), then took the top two singles positions before clinching the win at the No. 5 position.

Shaline Pipa and Marleen Tilgner swept the No. 1 doubles position 6-0 over Gaya Soloman and Chante Malo. Elodie Busson and Mihoki Miyahara won at the No. 2 position 6-1 over Maya Haidari and Emily Moore. No. 3 duo Valentina Mokrova and Marta Ruszczynska were leading 5-1 over Lea Rolland and Julia Daszkiewicz when the doubles point was clinched.

The 20th-ranked Tilgner played at the No. 2 position in singles, shutting out Malo 6-0, 6-0. The 34th-ranked Busson played at No. 1, beating Solomon 6-1, 6-3. Ruszczynska scored the clinching point at No. 5, beating Rolland 6-2, 6-2.

Mokrova led Julieta Beltramino 6-3, 4-1 when play was halted. Miyahara was leading Haidari 6-4, 0-3, while Rikona Murakami led Daszkiewicz 6-2, 0-3 at the stoppage.

The Sharks will face No. 2 Nova Southeastern (24-3) in the Elite Eight on Wednesday at Sanlando Park.