ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL. — The Cougars season came to a memorable end as the first Azusa Pacific team to ever reach the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division II National Championship. The match found the Cougars on the wrong side of a 5-1 decision as No. 3 Columbus State started the evening dominating in doubles.
 
Results

"The team walks away from this experience making one more step to where the program wants to be," said Azusa Pacific head coach Mark Bohren. 
 
The Cougars started the day trailing 3-0 after doubles as the tandem of Antonio Pejic and Marnix Pluim were the first Cougars to fall, losing 8-2 at the No. 3 spot. Recording the second loss for the Cougars was the pairing of Christian Schmid and Shepherd Newcomb, downed 8-4 at the No. 2 slot. Oliver Frank and Pascel Engel fell to Columbus State's only national ranked doubles duo, KP Pannu and Maciej Kiekus, 8-5 at the No. 1 position. 
 
"After falling 3-0 in double the team began to loosen and relax," said head coach Bohren. 
 
The Cougars didn't let up in singles staying in the match up until the end. Newcomb concluded his collegiate campaign falling 6-4, 6-1 at the No. 4 spot. As Columbus State gained a 4-0 lead Frank topped his opponent No. 32 Pannu 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 1 position notching the Cougars only win of the day. The match came to an end when Engel fell 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 3 spot.
 
Three Cougars were working on coming back in their matches when the match was decided. Leaving Schmid, Pejic, and Luconi's matches unfinished.

At the No. 2 position No. 14 Schmid won his first, as he was down 3-4 when his match was called. Pejic was leading at the No. 5 spot as he dropped his first set, won his second set and was leading when his match went unfinished. At the No. 6 slot Luconi was coming back from dropping his first set, leading in the second set 2-6, 5-4. 

Azusa Pacific concludes their 2017 season 22-6. Throughout the season the Cougars beat seven nationally ranked opponents.