OAHU, Hawaii - The No. 6 seeded Point Loma men's tennis team dropped its opening match of the 2013 Pacific West Conference Tennis Championships, 5-0, to No. 3 seed Fresno Pacific on Thursday, Apr. 18.

The match opened with the Sunbirds taking all three doubles matches for the Sea Lions. FPU won on courts No. 1 and 2 by the score of 8-4. They also won on court No. 3 by the count of 8-3.

The match then shifted to singles with the Sunbirds up 3-0 and needing just two more points to advance to the semifinals of the PacWest Championships. On the third court Marco Gabriel won 6-2 and 6-3 to bring FPU within one point of the win. Kirill Sinitsyn, who plays No. 1 for FPU, prevailed in two sets over the Sea Lions' Brooks Baldinger, 6-4 and 6-3, to send Fresno Pacific to the next round.

The match was called as soon as FPU got the decisive fifth point. The singles matches between PLNU and FPU on courts 4-6 were all tied at one set apiece.

The Sea Lions are now 7-16 on the season. The Sunbirds, which are ranked No. 3 in the region and No. 12 nationally, improved to 15-6 with the win.

PLNU will now face Hawaii Hilo in the consolation bracket tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. (PST).

#12 Fresno Pacific 5, Point Loma 0
Singles
1. Kirill Sinitsyn (FPU-MT) def. Brooks Baldinger (PLNU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Michael Tymkiw (FPU-MT) vs. Michael Zablan (PLNU) 6-2, unfinished
3. Marco Gabriel (FPU-MT) def. Jakob Kevelaerts (PLNU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Kyle Rowe (FPU-MT) vs. Bram Kevelaerts (PLNU) 0-6, 6-3, unfinished
5. Stefan Loop (FPU-MT) vs. Daniel Milliken (PLNU) 6-2, 1-6, unfinished
6. John Karlman (FPU-MT) vs. Kaptan Kaster (PLNU) 6-2, 2-6, unfinished

Doubles
1. Kirill Sinitsyn/Kyle Rowe (FPU-MT) def. Brooks Baldinger/Jakob Kevelaerts (PLNU) 8-4
2. Michael Tymkiw/Amarit Sanchez (FPU-MT) def. Bram Kevelaerts/Michael Zablan (PLNU) 8-4
3. Stefan Loop/Marco Gabriel (FPU-MT) def. Kaptan Kaster/Daniel Milliken (PLNU) 8-3

Match Notes
Point Loma 7-16; Regional ranking #7
Fresno Pacific 15-6; National ranking #12; Regional ranking #3