Hawai’i Women’s Tennis Achieves Strong Victory Against UC Irvine
In an impressive display of skill, the University of Hawai’i women’s tennis team triumphed over UC Irvine with a 5-2 scoreline on Saturday at the Anteater Tennis Stadium in Irvine, California. This victory concludes the Rainbow Wahine’s regular season, bringing their overall record to 8-7 and showcasing a strong performance in the Big West Conference with a record of 6-3, tying them for third place alongside Long Beach State.
Doubles Competition Overview
The match began with UCI securing the doubles point, winning on Courts No. 1 and 3. The standout performance for UH came from the pair of Ana Vilcek and Nikola Homolkova, who outperformed their opponents Carolyna Fowler and Yen Huynh with a score of 6-3. However, UH’s No. 1 doubles team of Sheena Masuda and Peppi Ramstedt faced a close battle, ultimately falling to Kayla Meraz and Haily Huynh with a score of 6-4.
Singles Match Highlights
Transitioning to singles play, the Rainbow Wahine demonstrated dominance by claiming five of the six matches. Ana Vilcek, competing on Court No. 1, defeated Kaya Meraz in straight sets, winning 6-3, 6-3. Vilcek’s performance has been impressive lately, as she has now secured four consecutive singles victories and six out of her last seven matches, raising her season record to 9-3.
On Court No. 3, Peppi Ramstedt made quick work of Amanda Perez, winning her match 6-4, 6-0. Meanwhile, Nikola Homolkova fought hard against Carolyna Fowler to secure her 6-3, 7-5 victory, marking her ninth win of the season.
The decisive match for UH came from Makeilah Nepomuceno on Court No. 5, who rallied after losing the opening set. She secured the match victory against Haily Huynh with a comeback score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Joelle Lanz also contributed to the success by overcoming Maily Huynh in a closely contested three-set match, winning 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Upcoming Championship Details
With this victory, the Rainbow Wahine are positioned as the No. 3 seed entering the upcoming Big West Championship. They will face No. 10 seed UC Riverside in their first match on Wednesday, April 23, at 7:00 a.m. HT, which will take place at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
Match Results Summary
Final Score: Hawai’i 5, UC Irvine 2
Date & Venue: April 19, 2025 – Anteater Tennis Stadium, Irvine, California
Doubles Results
- 1. Meraz/H. Huynh (UCI) def. Ramstedt/Masuda (UH), 6-4
- 2. Vilcek/Homolkova (UH) def. Fowler/Y. Huynh (UCI), 6-3
- 3. M. Huynh/Perez (UCI) def. Galindo/Nepomuceno (UH), 6-1
Singles Results
- 1. Ana Vilcek (UH) def. Kayla Meraz (UCI), 6-3, 6-3
- 2. Nikola Homolkova (UH) def. Carolyna Fowler (UCI), 6-3, 7-5
- 3. Peppi Ramstedt (UH) def. Amanda Perez (UCI), 6-4, 6-0
- 4. Yen Nhi Huynh (UCI) def. Hannah Galindo (UH), 6-1, 6-1
- 5. Makeilah Nepomuceno (UH) def. Haily Huynh (UCI), 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
- 6. Joelle Lanz (UH) def. Maily Huynh (UCI), 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-4
Match Notes
Hawai’i now stands at 8-7 overall with a 6-3 record in the Big West Conference, while UC Irvine’s record falls to 10-12 and 1-8 in conference play.
