At this point, UH-Hilo’s men’s tennis team should probably start paying rent in Surprise, Ariz.
Though the ultimate goal is to own, of course.
Ownership of an NCAA Division II championship, that is.
A week unlike any other in the annals of the school’s athletic history begins Tuesday when the Vulcans meet Concordia College (N.Y) in the national quarterfinals. The Clippers (14-0) are one of three undefeated programs in the country, but a an unknown to the sixth-ranked Vulcans.
“I know they are going to be a solid team,” coach Kallen Mizuguchi said. “I think not knowing about a team is a good thing sometimes. Coaches and players often know a lot about the other team’s styles, but going in blind is kind of nice.”
On Wednesday, UHH’s softball team begins it regional against Western Washington in California, and a day later the Vuls’ baseball team begins play at the PacWest pod series in California.
Since landing in the Phoenix area May 4 for regionals, UHH men’s tennis claimed the West championship, practiced, studied for finals and, on Saturday, celebrated the graduation of Wu Chen-En and Santiago Di Loreto.
“They had a virtual graduation,” Mizuguchi said. “We got together and tried our best to give them something special.”
This is UHH’s third consecutive trip to nationals, with their best finish coming in a tie for third in 2019.
The Vuls-Clippers winner advanced to Wednesday’s semifinals to play either top-seeded Columbus State or Cameron.
“It’s been a long season for many of the players, but in a good way of course,” Mizuguchi said in a school release. “I am proud of the way our guys have overcome the challenges that they have faced this year. They are some of the toughest people that I have had the pleasure to work with.”
The Vulcans are led by Martin Soukal, who on court one is 8-3 in singles and 7-4 in doubles. He hasn’t dropped a match through the Pacific West Conference tournament – which also was held in Surprise – and the regionals. He is ranked No. 22 in the latest ITA national singles listing. Freshman Alessio Demichelis is 6-4 on court two, Luca Checchia is 7-1 playing on courts 3-4 and Joshua Liu also has a sterling record with a 7-2 marks on courts 5-6.
In doubles, UHH’s leaders are Wu who is 7-3 mostly on court three, and Santiago Di Loreto who has the same record at 1-2 doubles.
No. 22 Concordia is led by Tobias Lentz, who is ranked 27th in singles with a 10-1 record. He and doubles teammate Jonatan Lundahl are listed No. 15 on the ITA doubles list.
“Whatever the results may be, I am very proud of this team,” Mizuguchi added. “They give it their best every time.”
134-0 in th season
force tmr, i think sometomt not k owt is a god thing
coach and palyers know ghame soatlea, goigin bak,mnk in kind of nice
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May 4
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just practice, sgttsypiy and reganp
Chun,. santoago Dior,rei
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They ghad a vritrua grad
sat night ghad the team together felgteabntet the
try out r best to gibve rthenm somne
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they are exoreyted, at this opiint in the steat abnt erhtekevek
anythiug camn hapetn
going to go in an
••
bveeb worse3,m un terms of heatlht
overcomeing alot of balstobae
over all, OK,
••
I know they they are goign to be solid team
134-0 in th season
force tmr, i think sometomt not k owt is a god thing
coach and palyers know ghame soatlea, goigin bak,mnk in kind of nice
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