SURPRISE, Ariz. – A season of firsts for the program came up short of the ultimate goal.
Azusa Pacific's historic season came to a close with a 5-1 setback to No. 2 Columbus State in the semifinal round of the NCAA National Championships.
The loss for the No. 13 Cougars ends their season with a 28-3 record. During the campaign the squad won its first PacWest title and reached farther than any team in Azusa Pacific history in an NCAA team championship event. The squad's win total is the most for the program since the 2004 season.
In an odd twist of event, Columbus State knocked off the Cougars by the same score Columbus State will play top-ranked Barry for the national title on Saturday morning.
"For tennis purposes every few years we have had a chance to win the whole thing. This was one of those years. This senior class did a lot for the program and the department. At the end of the day, there is an opponent across the net who wants to win as bad as you. Congrats to Columbus State," head coach Mark Bohren said. "It was so much fun this season. It was a great season."
DOUBLES: The Cougars found themselves in a tough spot heading into singles with a 2-1 deficit. Columbus State won the first two matches off the courts before Azusa Pacific took a hard fought win as doubles came to a close.
KP Pannu and Matei Avram took a break lead as they went ahead at the 5-2 changeover at the No. 2 slot. They kept that break lead and eventually broke again to win 8-4. At the third position, the Columbus State tandem of Arnold Kokulewski and Jorge Vargas were on serve and leading at the 5-4 changeover. From that point they won three of the last four games for their team's second team point.
At the No. 1 spot Oliver Frank and Jakob Schnaitter got an early break lead and held that until Columbus State broke back to make the score 6-5 at the changeover. Despite each team having break points down the stretch each team held serve to force a tiebreaker. In the extra session Azusa Pacific scored four of the first five points and methodically pulled away for a 7-3 tiebreaker win.
SINGLES: Despite battling through the early deficit Azusa Pacific couldn't find the magic needed to post a comeback.
As the singles matches unfolded Columbus State took the opening set in all but one of the contests. The first match complete came at the third slot as Alvaro Regalado notched a straight set (6-2, 6-3) win for the third Columbus State team point.
While singles continued to unfold it look for a moment the Cougars might rally. Ryan Nuno nearly won his match at the No. 5 spot but couldn't convert a pair of break point opportunities that would have clinched the match. Eventually his match went unfinished.
Frank took the second set and was in the midst of the early games in the third set when Columbus State sealed the contest. Jorge Vargas notched a 6-4, 7-6 (3) win at the sixth slot then less than five minutes Zach Whaanga won 6-4, 6-4 in the second slot.
At the No. 4 match, Ronald Kang dropped his first set late in the frame and was leading 4-1 in the second set.
