It appears the Hawaii Pacific and Brigham Young-Hawaii men's tennis teams are one win away from facing off for the fourth time this season. HPU, BYUH share bracket
Yesterday, both teams learned that if they should play each other again, it would come in the second round of the NCAA Division II championship to be held at Kansas City, Mo., on May 9.
The No. 1 Seasiders were picked as the top seed in their bracket, but that does not give them an easy road to the championship. Hawaii Pacific -- the only team to beat BYUH this season -- is in the same draw.
The Seasiders would have to beat Assumption (Mass.) College (18-5) and the Sea Warriors would have to take care of Colorado School of Mines (21-6) to ensure a rematch of the Hawaii schools in the round of eight.
The Sea Warriors were put into BYUH's draw because seeding after the top four spots is done strictly alphabetically.
HPU went into their qualifying win over UC San Diego ranked No. 10.
Although both Hawaii coaches had expressed hope that they would be on opposite ends of the bracket, they will take what the draw gives them.
"It is a tough draw, but if we are going to have a shot at a national championship, we are going to have to beat them anyway," Hawaii Pacific coach Henry Somerville said. "It is probably better to get them then. We've proven we can beat them, we just have to do it again."
Hawaii Pacific got to the national tournament by beating No. 22 UC San Diego 5-1 at Laie on Saturday.
It was a rematch of a 6-3 match won by Hawaii Pacific on March 28, when the Sea Warriors were pushed to the edge but survived.
They were not challenged Saturday, and that tells Somerville something.
"It says that the guys are playing better than a month ago," Somerville said. "When it comes to the pressure-type matches, the guys know what it takes and play well at the right time. They are playing better, but know that they can still play better."
The Sea Warriors salvaged the local rivalry by beating the shorthanded Seasiders 5-1 on April 13.
BYUH won the two previous meetings, 5-4 and 6-3.
Brigham Young-Hawaii's women are also in the national tournament and play Northern Michigan on May 9. They are also No. 1 in the nation and have not lost since last year's national tournament.