MOBILE, Ala. -- There's something to be said for experience in big games. Just ask Azusa Pacific as it found out first hand.

The seventh-seed Cougars, who have never advanced past the second round in any previous NAIA tournament, were playing in their first-ever national championship match while Auburn-Montgomery was playing in its fifth straight championship match since the NAIA began match-play in 2000.

And it showed.

Azusa Pacific was over-matched by a much more seasoned Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) as the Senators cruised to their fifth NAIA women's tennis championship in school history with a 5-0 win over the Cougars in the finale of the 23rd Annual NAIA Women's Tennis Tournament in Mobile, Ala.

The NAIA's No. 1-ranked Senators finish their season at 22-2, while Azusa Pacific finishes at 21-8.

AUM stormed out of the gate to take all 3 doubles matches, something it did in 3 of its 4 matches this week, and giving the Cougars an even steeper hill to climb. Then, in singles play Suheil Lizana defeated Christina Earnest (6-1, 6-1) at No. 4, and Carla Bruno handed Lindsey West her first loss of the tournament (6-1, 6-1) at No. 6 to clinch the title for the Senators, who were leading 3 of the other 4 matches.

In 4 matches at this year's tournament, Auburn-Montgomery surrendered just 1 point that coming in a 5-1 win over Brenau (Ga.) in the quarterfinals. Other than that, the Senators, who were the top seed, won each of their other matches by decisive 5-0 scores.

On the other hand, the Cougars conclude what was their finest season in program history winning a school-record 21 matches all the while advancing past the second round of the NAIA Tournament for the first time ever. In the process, the Cougars knocked off No. 2-ranked Northwood (Fla.) in the quarterfinals. In addition to that, the future is bright as all 6 of the Cougars that played in this year's tournament return next season.

Singles
1 - Digana Stanic (AUM) vs. Jennifer Dao (APU), 6-3; 0-1 DNF
2 - Gedvile Norkute (AUM) vs. Mayo Sato (APU), 6-1; 5-2 DNF
3 - Anna Moncolova (AUM) vs. Peggy Bell (APU), 6-0; 3-2 DNF
4 - Suheil Lizana (AUM) def. Christina Earnest (APU), 6-1; 6-1
5 - Mandy Septoe (AUM) vs. Lynn Quitoriano (APU), 6-6 DNF
6 - Carla Bruno (AUM) def. Lindsey West (APU), 6-1; 6-1

Doubles
1 - Lizana/Bruno (AUM) def. Bell/Earnest (APU), 8-2
2 - Moncolova/Norkute (AUM) def. Sato/Dao (APU), 8-2
3 - Stanic/Septoe (AUM) def. Quitoriano/West (APU), 8-1