ALBUQUERQUE, N.M -- The University of San Francisco men's tennis team faced Wichita State and the University of Hawaii on day one of the Mountain Pacific Invitational Saturday afternoon. The Dons beat Hawaii 4-2 after falling in the first match to the Shockers, 4-0.
 
"With only singles played, it was all about consistent competitive energy, but Wichita State did better than us today," said head coach Pablo Pires de Almeida. "In the second match, the guys did a better job at problem solving and stayed positive against Hawaii to earn the win."
 
In the first match of the day, the Dons struggled to secure a point, with Marco Barretto starting the match by dropping his game, 6-0, 6-1. Ryan Marker (6-2, 6-3) and Oliver Poysti (6-3, 6-1) followed with defeats, as well.
 
Paul Giraud had a chance to win a point for his team, bringing his match into a tiebreaker set before falling 6-1, 7-6. With the Shockers ahead 4-0, Johan Joenhagen and Mert Zincirli's matches went unfinished.
 
In the second match of the day against Hawaii, the Dons got off to a better start with Joenhagen starting singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win, and Giraud (6-1, 7-6) and Zincirli (6-4, 6-3) following with match wins as well. Poysti (7-5, 6-1) and Barretto (6-2, 3-6, 7-5) had a hard time securing points, and dropped their matches.  Marker secured his team's victory with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 match win.
 
"We look forward to another great match tomorrow," Almeida said.
 
USF vs. WSU
Singles (order of finish:6,4,3,5)

1. Joenhagen vs. Haru Inoue; 6-2, 5-2 (DNF)
2.  Zincirli vs. Marius Frosa; 7-6, 2-1 (DNF)
3. Murkel Dellien def. Poysti; 6-3, 6-1
4. Miroslav Herzan def. Marker; 6-2, 6-3
5. Eddie Stoica def. Giraud; 6-1, 7-6
6. Andrea Caligiana def. Barretto; 6-0, 6-1

 
USF vs. HAWAII
Singles (order of finish: 1,5,2,3,6,4)

1. Joenhagen def. Blaz Seric; 6-2, 6-2
2. Zincirli def. Felix Albert; 6-4, 6-3
3. Lucas Labrunie def, Poysti; 7-5, 6-1
4. Marker def. Aleksa Lazarevic; 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Giraud def. Tristan Martin; 6-1, 7-6
6. Fabian Woehrl def. Barretto; 6-2, 3-6, 7-5

 
UP NEXT
The Dons are back on the court tomorrow for a match against Lamar University, beginning at 11:30 a.m.