ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- Despite a seven-hour weather delay, Hawai'i Pacific (20-6) dropped Columbus State 5-3 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II national championships.
Early in the morning the teams started the match with doubles play. HPU took a 2-1 advantage thanks to wins at second and third doubles. Vivian Hansen and Lea Kruse-Utermann gave HPU the first point with an 8-5 triumph at third doubles. The team of Lorena Gheorghe and Magdalena Smejova won 8-6 at second doubles to give HPU a 2-0 advantage.
Kruse-Utermann dominated her opponent at sixth singles to the tune of a 6-1, 6-2 win. Then the rain and lightning came, for the next seven hours all the teams could do was wait. As soon a play resumed, Columbus State took first and second singles to tie the match at three. Undeterred, Smejova and Gheorghe soon won their matches to clinch the win. Gheorghe put an exclamation point on the day as she won the final set 6-0. Hansen was leading when play was stopped.
