AZUSA, Calif. -- The NAIA's No. 3 Azusa Pacific dropped a 5-4 loss to the NCAA's Div. III's No. 6 Amherst (Mass.), after the Lord Jeffs won 3 of the final 4 singles matches contested in 3 sets. Sophomore Sheryl Bon was the only Cougar to register wins in singles and doubles play.
Freshman Leah Hoffee's match at No. 5 singles decided the dual match's final score. Amherst's Laken King took the first set, 6-4, and Hoffee responded with a 6-1 score in the second set. In the third set, Hoffee established a 3-2 lead, but King swept the next changeover to give the Lord Jeffs the 4-3 lead. King clinched the match at 6-4 when Hoffee overpowered her final shot.
Three other singles matches finished in 3 sets. At No. 1, freshman Natalie McNall lost a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 result to No. 5-ranked Brittany Berckes, following a second set resurgence and a 5-4 lead in the third set. Freshman Emily Ignas tied the dual match at 4-4 with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 4. Sophomore Marie Tanaka dropped a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 decision at No. 6.
Bon won a straight-set decision over Jill Wexler at No. 2 with identical scores of 6-3.
The Cougars won 2 of the 3 doubles matches. Sophomores Casey Wetzig and Bon took an 8-3 decision at No. 1. Senior Katy Jelsma and McNall fell behind 6-4, but captured the final 4 games to close out an 8-6 victory at No. 3.
Azusa Pacific drops to 7-5, its third consecutive loss, while Amherst improves to 5-1. The Cougars return to action on Friday, Mar. 21, hosting the NAIA's No. 21-ranked Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) at 2 p.m.
SINGLES?
1. Brittany Berckes (AC) def. Natalie McNall (APU); 6-1, 4-6, 7-5
2. Sheryl Bon (APU) def. Jill Wexler (AC); 6-3, 6-3
3. Natasha Brown (AC) def. Casey Wetzig (APU); 6-3, 6-3?
4. Emily Ignas (APU) def. Mimi Bell (AC); 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 ?
5. Laken King (AC) def. Leah Hoffee (APU); 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
6. Laura Danzig (AC) def. Marie Tanaka (APU); 4-6, 6-2, 6-1??
Order of finish: 3, 2, 6, 1, 4, 5*?
(*=clinching match)
DOUBLES
1. Bon/Wetzig (APU) def. Berckes/Brown (AC); 8-3
2. Danzig/Wexler (AC) def. Ignas/Tanaka (APU); 8-4
3. Katy Jelsma/McNall (APU) def. Anuja Ankola/Bell (AC); 8-6?
?Order of finish: 2, 1, 3
