AZUSA, Calif. - #14 Azusa Pacific battled #1 Barry on Wednesday afternoon, but it was the visiting Buccaneers that would hold off the upset-minded Cougars by a 4-1 score. Azusa Pacific is 9-4, with three of its losses coming to teams ranked top-5 nationally, and its other loss to a Division I opponent.

The Buccaneers earned the doubles point in quick fashion, with their No. 1 and No. 3 duos each winning 6-1. At No. 2, the Cougars' Miruna Tudor and Kylie Hull were locked in a 3-3 set when Barry clinched the point, and the matchup went unfinished.

Barry took the first point of singles by way of a straight-set win for the Buccaneers at No. 3 (6-3, 6-3).

The highlight of the match for the Cougars was at the No. 1 matchup, where Azusa Pacific's Eleonora Liga, ranked as the nation's #4 singles player, was taking on the nation's #1 player in Barry's Deniz Khazan. Liga would win the first set 6-2, and she would follow up with a hard-fought 7-5 second set victory to secure the win. Liga has now beaten two opponents that are nationally ranked this season, and she is unbeaten in her last nine matches. 

The Buccaneers secured the match overall with a straight-set win at No. 2, and a three set victory at No. 4, where Cougar freshman Vini Bautista gave Barry's Selina Pichler (ranked #39 nationally) a tough match. At No. 5, Miruna Tudor was up in the third set (7-6, 1-6, 2-1) for the Cougars on Clara Versier (ranked #62 nationally) when the match was called due to the clinching win at No. 4 for Barry.

Up Next: After three matches in the last three days, the Cougars will get a bit of rest before their next match on Tuesday, March 14, when they host Midwestern State at 11:00 am.