AZUSA, Calif. - No. 18 Azusa Pacific just keeps on rolling, as the Cougars beat No. 45 Hawai'i Hilo by a 5-2 score to improve to 16-0 on the season. 

Constantin Barth and Soeren Grandke opened up the action with a 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles, which improved their record to 8-0. The doubles point was secured by the nation's No. 17 pairing of Miha Velicki and Elias Emilio Walter, who earned a 6-3 victory in the No. 1 doubles match. The duo is unbeaten over their last eight, and they hold an 11-2 record in the No. 1 spot for the Cougars.

Barth was the first point-scorer in singles, as he remained unbeaten on his freshman season after he handled the No. 6 match by a 6-0, 6-1 straight set sweep. Barth, who is 12-0 thus far, has held his opponents to two or fewer games won in 14 sets that he has played this season. Velicki gave the Cougars a 3-0 match advantage with a win at No. 2, where he took the first set 6-2 and then closed it out with a 6-3 second set over the nation's No. 61 singles player in Cian McDonnell.

The Vulcans were able to finally get on the board with a win at No. 4, but Brody Bohren would clinch the contest for the Cougars at No. 5. Bohren won the first set 7-5, and then handled his opponent by a 6-2 second set. 

Hawai'i Hilo would make it 4-2 with a win at No. 3, but Walter would end the match on another high note for the Cougars, as he battled to a three-set victory in the No. 1 showdown. After Walter beat Ryo Minakata in a 7-6(7-3) tie break in the first set, Minakata flipped the script to win by way of tie break in the second set (7-6(7-5)). With the overall match already secured by Azusa Pacific, the third set consisted of a super tie break format, which Walter emerged with a 10-4 victory to improve his singles record to 16-0 on the year. Walter is currently ranked No. 52 in the ITA singles national rankings.

Up Next: Round two of the Cornerstone Cup is next on the schedule, with BioLa slated to visit Azusa on Saturday at 2:00 pm.