AZUSA, Calif. - Azusa Pacific, playing its first of five home matches this weekend, defended its courts with a 5-2 win over PacWest rival Hawai'i Hilo on Monday afternoon. The match was the second time in which the two sides have battled this season, and the Cougars have won both of those meetings.

Miha Velicki and Elias Emilio Walter started the afternoon off for the Cougars, with the duo posting a 6-2 win on court No. 2, which extended their unbeaten streak to four matches. Over in the No. 1 showdown between Hilo's Martin Soukal & Alession Demichelis against the Cougars' Leyton Bohren & Ryan Nuno, it was the home pair that emerged with a 7-5 victory to give Azusa Pacific the 1-0 match lead with the doubles point.

Following his role in the opening doubles point-clinching performance, Bohren handled Agustin Gentile at No. 3 to put the Cougars up 2-0. Bohren won the first set 6-3, and then followed in the second set with a 6-0 shutout triumph. Following a win for the Vulcans at No. 5 to make the overall tally 2-1, Walter added another point for the Cougars at No. 4. Walter had to fight for a 7-5 opening set win, which gave him momentum heading into the next frame, which he won 6-1.

Velicki would serve as the match-clincher this afternoon, posting a 6-2 first set, and then sealing the deal with a dominant 6-0 second set to secure the fourth point to put the match out of reach.

Ryan Nuno added the exclamation point on the day, as the Cougars' No. 1 beat Soukal 6-2, 7-5 in straight sets.

Up Next: The Cougars will gear up for another PacWest rival, with Hawai'i Pacific set to visit Azusa tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 pm. Tomorrow will be another rematch for Azusa Pacific, as the Cougars took on Hawai'i Pacific out in Hawai'i in early February in a match in which the Sharks were able to secure a win.