Junior Jessalyn Lau rescued the NAIA's No. 5-ranked Azusa Pacific from a surefire defeat, tallying timely singles and doubles victories to lift the Cougars to a 5-4 win over No. 10-ranked Point Loma Nazarene in a Golden State Athletic Conference match held on the PLNU Courts Saturday morning. Azusa Pacific registered all its points from the lower half of the lineup, the bottom 3 singles positions and the bottom 2 doubles positions.

Lau battled through a grueling 3-set singles match in 3 hours, a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 decision at No. 6 singles. At the moment she faced a 5-4 third set deficit, she told fellow junior Danny Colten, serving as a student coach, she was going to win the match. And win, she did. She broke loose for 3 consecutive games to close her match.

Due to a special arrangement to accommodate the men's and women's tennis matches simultaneously, the women's dual match played singles first. Thus, Lau's work was not done. She partnered with freshman Emily Ignas at No. 3 doubles, which turned out to be the deciding match of the day. The tandem rolled to an 8-4 victory there, establishing Lau as the only Cougar to score team points in singles and doubles.

Lau has functioned as a role player for Azusa Pacific throughout her 3-year career. Whenever a starter has been unable to play, Lau usually steps in at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles to boost the Cougars. Such was the case today as No. 1 singles player Sheryl Bon is recovering from an injury suffered in the previous match against California Baptist.

"She's been keeping herself ready," Cougar head coach Mark Bohren said. "I've been telling her that any time she could be in the starting line-up. She's practices hard and she's been patient and diligent awaiting her opportunity to shine for us this season."

Point Loma Nazarene took the top 3 singles matches with general ease, registering a clean 6-0, 6-0 sweep at No. 1 and a straight-set 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 3. Freshman Natalie McNall won her first set at No. 2, but ultimately dropped her match, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Azusa Pacific collected victories in the bottom 3, almost in the same fashion as the Sea Lions collected theirs in the higher positions with a pair of straight-set victories and 3-set decision. Sophomore Marie Tanaka won 6-3, 6-0 at No. 5, followed by freshman Leah Hoffee's 6-2, 7-5 win. Lau's match complemented the effort and the dual match was tied 3-3 entering doubles play.

At No. 1 doubles, Hoffee and sophomore Casey Wetzig attempted a rally from a 7-4 deficit, but Point Loma Nazarene triumphed with an 8-6 score. Senior Katy Jelsma and McNall conquered an 8-4 decision at No. 2, once again tying the dual match at 4-4 score, setting up the clinching match at No. 3 doubles.

"It seems like we were behind all day, playing without Sheryl (Bon)," Bohren said. "Sometimes, teams play better and sometimes play worse when dealing with a top player's injury. Our girls stepped up for the win. We decided just to play our hardest and we ended up getting the win."

With the win, Azusa Pacific advances to 10-6, 9-3 in GSAC, while Point Loma Nazarene drops to 9-6, 6-6 in GSAC. The Cougars return for more conference tennis action, Tuesday, Mar. 31, at 2 p.m., hosting Westmont at the Munson and Bavougian Tennis Complex.

SINGLES
1. Kristin Strimple (PLNU) def. Casey Wetzig (APU); 6-0, 6-0
2. Rachel Owens (PLNU) def. Natalie McNall (APU); 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. Kim Haynes (PLNU) def. Emily Ignas (APU); 6-1, 6-2
4. Leah Hoffee (APU) def. Kelsey Weir (PLNU); 6-2, 7-5
5. Marie Tanaka (APU) def. Taryn Zimmer (PLNU); 6-3, 6-0
6. Jessalyn Lau (APU) def. Brittany Hall (PLNU); 3-6, 6-1, 7-5

Order of finish: 1, 3, 5, 4, 2, 6

DOUBLES
1. Haynes/Strimple (PLNU) def. Hoffee/Wetzig (APU); 8-6
2. Katy Jelsma/McNall (APU) def. Weir/Owens (PLNU); 8-4
3. Ignas/Lau (APU) def. Isabella Tumini/Samantha Mohr (PLNU); 8-4

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