SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific's losing streak didn't last long, as the NAIA's No. 5-ranked Cougars bounced back from Monday's non-conference loss to Cal State L.A. with their 11th shutout of the year, a 9-0 road win Tuesday over Westmont in Santa Barbara.
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A freshman tandem of Emily Harris and Kim Koetterheinrich wrapped up the doubles sweep with a narrow 9-7 win at the No. 1 doubles spot, and Harris posted a 6-3, 6-1 singles win at the top of a singles lineup for Azusa Pacific that won all 6 matches in straight sets. Koetterheinrich had a 6-4, 6-1 victory at No. 3.
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At No. 3 doubles, sophomores Sarita Adhikary and Danielle Hoyme teamed up for an 8-0 win that gave the pair a 4-0 doubles record together this year, and both went on to post the decisive singles wins that clinched the match for the Cougars. At No. 5, Adhikary posted a 6-0, 6-1 win that improved her individual singles record this year to 9-0, while Hoyme was a 6-0, 6-2 winner at No. 6 to improve to 3-0 on the season.
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The Cougars' No. 2 doubles tandem, junior Natalie McNall and freshman Molly Ruby, registered an 8-5 win that tied them for the team lead in most doubles wins with their 11th victory together this year. McNall notched a 6-2, 7-5 win at No. 2 singles, and Ruby's 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles pushed her individual singles record to 12-2.
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The victory was the fourth straight GSAC win for the Cougars, who clinched a top-3 finish in the conference standings with Tuesday's result. Azusa Pacific is now 18-4 overall and 12-3 in GSAC play, while Westmont drops to 5-13 overall, 5-9 GSAC. The Cougars are off until the regular-season finale, when they host the NAIA's No. 3-ranked Point Loma Nazarene on Friday, April 27, at the Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex.
