AZUSA, Calif. -- The NAIA’s No. 5-ranked Azusa Pacific opened the 2009 campaign with high expectations for its new on-campus home, the Munson and Bavougian Tennis Complex. The first pair of games followed Azusa Pacific’s usual form of success, as the Cougars defeated conference foes ranked in the NAIA's top 12. The blissful honeymoon did not last though as the Cougars have now dropped 5 consecutive home matches for the first time in over 20 years.

This time, Azusa Pacific slid to a 6-3 loss, courtesy of the NCAA Div. III’s defending national champion and currently No. 2-ranked Washington (Mo.). The Cougars registered all of its points from the top half of their singles docket.

Washington swept all the doubles matches in convincing fashion, tallying an 8-2 victory at No. 1 doubles, then posting an 8-5 victory at No. 3. The Bears completed the sweep at No. 2 with an 8-3 victory over the freshman tandem of Janosch Apelt and Jack Zapala. Apelt and Zapala combined for 25 errors and 7 double faults, while the Bears only committed 7 errors and 4 double faults.

At No. 1 singles, junior Matthijs Bolsius commanded No. 3-ranked John Watts for a 6-4, 6-3 win, earning his second consecutive singles victory over a NCAA Div. III top 10-ranked opponent. Apelt garnered a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 2, improving to 4-1 since moving up to the position.

Chow also continued an individual run of good fortune, collecting a 2-6, 6-4 (12-10) win at the No. 3 spot for a third consecutive singles win. The Bears rolled to straight set decisions in the lower 3 singles matches.

Azusa Pacific enters unfamiliar territory after the loss, descending to .500 after 12 games for the first time since the 1996 season, Mark Bohren’s rookie year as head coach. All of the losses, however, have been to teams ranked in the top 6 of their respective associations.

With the loss, Azusa Pacific drops to 6-6 while Washington advances to 6-2. The Cougars briefly return to Golden State Athletic Conference play, taking a 5-2 conference mark to Irvine on Saturday, Mar. 14, to challenge the NAIA’s No. 6-ranked Concordia at 11:00 a.m., before hosting a trio of non-conference games next week.

SINGLES
1. Matthijs Bolsius (APU) def. John Watts (WU); 6-4, 6-3
2. Janosch Apelt (APU) def. Charlie Cutler (WU); 6-3, 6-1
3. Ronald Chow (APU) def. Max Woods (WU); 2-6, 6-4 (12-10)
4. Isaac Stein (WU) def. Danny Colten (APU); 7-6, 6-2
5. Danny Levy (WU) def. Ilja Ikonnikov (APU); 6-0, 6-3
6. Chris Hoeland (WU) def. Whitman Hough (APU); 6-3, 6-2

Order of finish: 6, 2, 5*, 1, 3, 4
(*=clinching match)

DOUBLES
1. Cutler/Hoeland (WU) def. Chow/Moore (APU); 8-2
2. Stein/Woods (WU) def. Jack Zapala/Apelt (APU); 8-3
3. Nirmal Choradia/Watts (WU) def. Bolsius/Hough (APU); 8-5

Order of finish: 1, 3, 2