SAN DIEGO (April 29, 2023) – Top seed, UC Santa Barbara is headed back to The Big West title match after taking down No. 4 Hawai'i, 4-1, in the semifinals Saturday morning at Barnes Tennis Center.
The Gauchos (21-3) will face the second-seeded Anteaters of UC Irvine (13-7) in a rematch of last year's championship that UC Irvine won 4-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Doubles play was tightly contested between UC Santa Barbara and Hawai'i. The Gauchos gained the advantage with a 6-4 victory on court three by Pablo Masjuan and Gianluck Brunkow. UH responded with a win on court two, but the Gauchos won the decisive doubles match on court one. Phillip Jordan and Kai Brady earned a 6-3 win to give UC Santa Barbara a 1-0 advantage.
The Gauchos went up 2-0 after Luka Mrsic earned a straight-set victory on court three. Then, on court six Kai Brady gave UC Santa Barbara all the momentum with a victory and the Gauchos were in complete control up 3-0.
After Hawai'i grabbed a point on court one, the Gauchos responded with the clinching point on court five. Conrad Brown won a tough first set 7-6 (7-3) before taking care of business and winning 6-4 in the second set to help UC Santa Barbara advance to The Big West Championship match.
RESULTS
Doubles competition
1. Jordan/Brady (UCSB) def. Ilagan/L. Labrunie (UH), 6-3
2. A. Labrunie/Maitre (UH) def. Brown/Mrsic (UCSB), 6-4
3. Masjuan/Brunkow (UCSB) def. Collins/Vlkovsky (UH), 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles competition
1. #74 Andre Ilagan (UH) def. Phillip Jordan (UCSB), 6-4, 6-3
2. Pablo Masjuan (UCSB) vs. Axel Labruni (UH), 6-4, 6-6, unfinished
3. Luka Mrsic (UCSB) def. Guillaume Tattevin (UH), 6-2, 6-2
4. Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) vs. Lucas Labrunie (UH), 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 unfinished
5. Conrad Brown (UCSB) def. Kilian Maitre (UH), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
6. Kai Brady (UCSB) def. Andy Hernandez (UH), 6-4, 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 6, 1, 5
UP NEXT
The Gauchos advance to The Big West Championship match. UC Santa Barbara will take on UC Irvine at the Barnes Tennis Center at 9 a.m. in San Diego, Calif.
