Cool under pressure, UH-Hilo remained too hot to handle in the Phoenix heat.
In a familiar setting, Surprise, Ariz., with familiar conditions, hot and windy, and a familiar scenario – “Anyone could have won,” coach Kallen Mizuguchi said – the Vulcans played their familiar brand of tight-knit college tennis, pulling out another thriller Tuesday. UHH downed Concordia of New York 4-2 to reach the nationals semifinals for the second consecutive time.
“I believe that when it comes to tight matches, the energy our guys give off really helps fire each other up,” coach Kallen Mizuguchi said in a school release. “It was a tough match, and I think coming from Hawaii and being used to playing in the heat was an advantage for us.”
The fourth-seeded Vuls (11-2) advanced to face top-seeded Columbus State on Wednesday in the Final Four, and they’ll likely need another steady, if not spectacular, performance from ace Martin Soukal, who still hasn’t lost a set in three postseason tournaments in the Phoenix area.
Soukal, ranked No. 27, rolled past No. 27 Tobias Lentz 6-2, 6-2. The win came after Vuls took the doubles point, getting a 6-3 triumph from the duo of Soukal and Santiago Di Loreto on court one.
“He has been a powerhouse for us for, sure,” Mizuguchi said. “He’s playing really well and does better against better players.”
Alessio Demichelis bested def. Henry Masters 7-5, 6-4 at No. 2 singles to give UHH a 3-0 lead before the last four matches went to three sets. Luca Checchia and Di Loreto dropped their third sets, but Joshua Liu sent the Clippers to their first loss of the season with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory on court six.
In another quarterfinal, Columbus State dropped Cameron University 4-0, improving to 22-0.
“Being the underdog could be good for us,” Mizuguchi said. “Being the No. 1 seed an being expected to win could put some pressure on (Columbus State).
“It’s the semifinals. Anything can happen.”
Singles
1. #22 Martin Soukal (UHH) def. #27 Tobias Lentz (Concordia), 6-2, 6-2.
2. Alessio Demichelis (UHH) def. Henry Masters (Concordia), 7-5, 6-4.
3. Wu Chun-En (UHH) vs. Jonatan Lundahl (Concordia), 5-7, 6-1, 5-5, unfinished
4. Jan Godfrey Seno (Concordia) def. Luca Checchia (UHH), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
5. William Nilsson (Concordia) def. Santiago Di Loreto (UHH) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
6. Joshua Liu (UHH) def. Oskar Irdoja (Concordia), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
Doubles
1. Soukal/Di Loreto (UHH) def. #15 Lentz/Lundahl (Concordia), 6-3.
2. Checchia/Liu (UHH) def. Nilsson/Seno (Concordia), 6-3.
3. Wu/Demichelis (UHH) vs. Irdoja/Masters (Concordia), 5-3 unfinished