AZUSA, Calif. – Needing a rally for the ages in their NCAA postseason debut, Azusa Pacific came real close to pulling it off.
The Cougars nearly won five singles matches after losing all three doubles but came up short as Academy of Art posted a 5-3 win in an NCAA Division II West Region contest.
For Azusa Pacific their season concludes with a 19-9 record while Academy of Art moves onto the NCAA National Tournament in Surprise, Ariz. beginning on May 8.
DOUBLES: For the second straight match between the two schools, Academy of Art swept the three doubles matches. Last Friday, the Urban Knights used that momentum for a victory at the PacWest Tournament.
Monika Stanikova and Paula Alcantara were the first duo complete. They raced out to a 5-0 lead before claiming an 8-3 victory at the No. 3 slot. At the top position the tandeom of Alma and Klara Thell-Lenntorp went ahead 4-1 and eventually got an 8-4 win.
The tightness match came in the middle contest. Academy of Art's Maria Andrisani and Taisiia Andrieieva got an early break and despite being broken back they never fell behind. Late in the contest they broke serve then held for the 8-6 triumph.
SINGLES: What may have been a foregone conclusion turned into a bit of wild ending.
Within seconds of each other the fourth and fifth slots completed. Alma Thell-Lenntorp top April Wong 6-2, 6-2 at the fifth position then Kara Hinton knocked off Taisiia Andrieieva 6-0, 6-3.
Toby Miclat gave the Cougars their second team point as she posted a 6-3, 6-4 win. The senior rallied in the final frame by winning the final four games to secure the victory at the No. 1 position.
Alma Thell-Lenntorp pulled the Urban Knights within a team point of the victory with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph at the No. 5 slot. As the next 60-75 minutes unfolded a little bit of chaos and fun ensued.
Academy of Art looked to be in prime position at the No. 3 match just after they grabbed their fourth team point. However, Diana Baumgartnere fought back from a second deficit and a handful of match points to split sets.
Meanwhile Petra Invankovic rallied at the second slot for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory. Also, Jackie Resler nearly won at the No. 6 position for Azusa Pacific. She won the first set 6-1 but Paula Alcantara rallied from a 5-4 deficit in the second and in the eventual tiebreaker to force a third set. That match ended up sealing the team win as Alcantara won 6-3 in the third set.
