AZUSA, Calif. -- The NAIA’s No. 5-ranked Azusa Pacific dropped its second straight non-conference match against an NCAA Division II foe, suffering a 6-3 defeat to Hawaii Pacific Saturday afternoon.
Junior Matthijs Bolsius helped earn 2 of the Cougars’ 3 points in the match by providing wins in the top singles and doubles positions, and freshman Janosch Apelt’s debut at No. 2 singles was a successful one. Apelt recorded a 6-3, 6-3 win over senior Hendrik Bode, the Sea Warriors’ No. 1 singles player the past 2 seasons.
Bolsius teamed up with junior Mathias Weber for the 8-6 doubles win that gave Azusa Pacific its only point heading into singles play, where a pair of matches ended early due to players retiring with injuries and the other 4 decided in straight sets.
Weber retired after 1 set, giving Hawaii Pacific a 3-1 lead, and Aleksander Markov recorded a 6-2, 6-1 win over freshman Jack Zapala at No. 6 to push the lead to 4-1. Bolsius took the opening set at No. 1 singles, 6-3, and he led 3-0 in the second when Daniel Luedi retired from the match. Nikola Petrov’s 6-3, 6-2 win over sophomore Daniel Moore at No. 4 singles gave Hawaii Pacific the decisive fifth point of the match before Apelt completed his straight-sets win.
With the loss, Azusa Pacific drops to 4-3 on the season, while Hawaii Pacific improves to 2-1. The Cougars are back in action on Wednesday, March 4, when they will return to Golden State Athletic Conference play by hosting the NAIA’s No. 2-ranked Fresno Pacific in a 2 p.m. matchup. Fresno Pacific will be Azusa Pacific’s fourth GSAC opponent in 5 conference matches that is currently ranked in the NAIA’s Top 12.
SINGLES
1. Matthijs Bolsius (APU) def. Daniel Luedi (HPU); 6-3, 3-0 (ret.)
2. Janosch Apelt (APU) def. Hendrik Bode (HPU); 6-3, 6-3
3. Sebastian Bader (HPU) def. Mathias Weber (APU); 6-0 (ret.)
4. Nikola Petrov (HPU) def. Daniel Moore (APU); 6-3, 6-2
5. Anton Samuilau (HPU) def. Ronald Chow (APU); 6-3, 6-2
6. Aleksander Markov (HPU) def. Jack Zapala (APU); 6-2, 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 6, 1, 4*, 2, 5
(*=clinching match)
DOUBLES
1. Bolsius/Weber (APU) def. Luedi/Petrov (HPU); 8-6
2. Bader/Bode (HPU) def. Apelt/Zapala (APU); 8-2
3. Markov/Samuilau (HPU) def. Chow/Moore (APU); 8-5
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3
