SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Tied at 3 points apiece and with the match hanging in the balance, the NAIA's No. 8-ranked Point Loma Nazarene picked up 2 late-match singles wins to clinch a 6-3 team victory over No. 11 Azusa Pacific on Saturday. The Cougars dropped a trio of 3-set matches in singles, which proved to be the difference.
PLNU took 2 of 3 doubles points, as only the No. 1 duo of Sheryl Bon and Natalie McNall won for the Cougars, 8-4.
Azusa Pacific gathered in the first singles point to tie the match up at 2-all. All-American All-American Kristin Strimple took down Sheryl Bon 6-4, 6-1 on court one to give the Sea Lions a 3-2 advantage. Leah Hoffee's 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 3 squared the match again at 3-3, setting up the Sea Lions gutty rally.
The remaining 3 matches all went to a third set. PLNU's Ashley Litchfield was the first done after dispatching Natalie McNall 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 on court two. Kiersten Steinhauer then put the match away for PLNU by beating Jessalyn Lau on four, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.
The loss is the first for Azusa Pacific in 3 matches this season. The Cougars return to play on Tuesday with its GSAC home-opener vs. Westmont.
#8 Point Loma Nazarene 6, #11 Azusa Pacific 3
Singles
1. STRIMPLE, Kristin (PLNU) def. BON, Sheryl (APU) 6-4, 6-1
2. LITCHFIELD, Ashley (PLNU) def. McNALL, Natalie (APU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
3. HOFFEE, Leah (APU) def. OWENS, Rachel (PLNU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
4. STEINHAUER, Kiersten (PLNU) def. LAU, Jessalyn (APU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
5. KWAN, Jessica (PLNU) def. WETZIG, Casey (APU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
6. IGNAS, Emily (APU) def. CHIU, Wileen (PLNU) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. BON, Sheryl/McNALL, Natalie (APU) def. STRIMPLE, Kristin/KWAN, Jessica (PLNU) 8-4
2. OWENS, Rachel/LITCHFIELD, Ashley (PLNU) def. HOFFEE, Leah/WETZIG, Casey (APU) 8-4
3. STEINHAUER, Kiersten/CHIU, Wileen (PLNU) def. LAU, Jessalyn/IGNAS, Emily (APU) 8-5
Match Notes
Azusa Pacific 2-1, 1-1 GSAC; National ranking #11
Point Loma Nazarene University 3-0, 3-0 GSAC; National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,4,3,5,6,1)
