PacWest Conference Recap, Results, Updated Bracket

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Mitchel Heckmann and Kevin To gutted out an epic 9-8 (11-9) victory at No. 2 doubles to trail by one heading into singles action, but the Sonoma State men's tennis team lost 5-1 to No. 1 seed and sixth-nationally-ranked Hawaii Pacific on Thursday to open this week's PacWest Men's Tennis Championship at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Ariz.

The Seawolves (3-12), who entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, will play in Friday's consolation semifinal against fifth-seeded and 25th-nationally-ranked Concordia-Irvine, beginning at 9:00 am.

With Sonoma State down 2-0 after two losses at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, Heckmann and To refused to give up, going point-for-point with HPU's Torben Otto and Gerard Rodriguez and forcing the 10-point tiebreaker with the match tied at 8-8.  The emotionally-charged match went back-and-forth, back-and-forth until Heckmann and To pulled away for the 11-9 win in the tiebreak to give the Seawolves a point in the match and a newfound energy heading into singles action.

Heckmann continued to battle in singles, winning his first set 6-4 at No. 3, and Blaine Mengert also picked up a first-set win, 7-5, to energize SSU, but the Sharks, the sixth-ranked team in the country, proved to be the national powerhouse that they are, snatching three straight-set wins at No. 1, 2 and 4 to clinch the match.

#6 Hawai'i Pacific 5, Sonoma State 1
Apr 20, 2017 at Surprise, AZ (Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex)

Singles competition
1. #7 Filip Dolezel (HPU) def. Max Nudell (SSU) 6-3, 6-1
2. #10 Torben Otto (HPU) def. Alec Wong (SSU) 6-0, 6-1
3. Jakub Hadrava (HPU) vs. Mitchel Heckmann (SSU) 4-6, 3-1, unfinished
4. Gerard Rodriguez (HPU) def. Sullivan Roche (SSU) 6-3, 2-0, retired
5. Filip Soban (HPU) vs. Blaine Mengert (SSU) 5-7, 2-1, unfinished
6. Juan Erro (HPU) vs. Dylan King (SSU) 7-5, 4-0, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. #9 Filip Dolezel/Jakub Hadrava (HPU) def. Max Nudell/Alec Wong (SSU) 8-4
2. Kevin To/Mitchel Heckmann (SSU) def. Torben Otto/Gerard Rodriguez (HPU) 9-8 (11-9)
3. Juan Erro/Filip Soban (HPU) def. Blaine Mengert/Sullivan Roche (SSU) 8-4

Match Notes
Sonoma State 3-12; Regional ranking #9
Hawai'i Pacific 14-4; National ranking #6; Regional ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,4,1)
PacWest Conference Championship Quarterfinal
Official: Vicky Berrettini T-2:05 A-25