Box Score IRVINE, Calif. – Azusa Pacific men's tennis is getting comfortable with narrow margins. For the third time already this year, the Cougars have gone on the road to face an undefeated PacWest opponent and come away with a 4-3 victory, and for the second time this week, it was Joan Crespo who clinched the victory as the Cougars defeated Concordia 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at the CUI Tennis Courts.
 
It was a marathon battle that lasted over four and a half hours and ended with Crespo winning five games in a row in the third set to come from behind (both in the match and the set) to extend the Cougars' regular-season winning streak.
 
"Coach [Mark Bohren] was on the bench and I told him 'I'm not going to lose this match,'" Crespo said about the changeover before the streak of five games. "He told me to fight like I always do, and I'm really glad I got to prove to him what kind of a fighter I am. The crowd was going crazy. It gave me goosebumps. It was unbelievable. I was so happy for the team as well. The team win in the end is what matters the most for me."
 
Azusa Pacific is now 7-0 while the Concordia drops to 5-1 on the season. The Cougars also won on the road by the same score against Point Loma and Fresno Pacific who were each undefeated going into those matches as well.
 
"Going to Fresno is always tough, and my teammates told me that every time there is a dog fight, and it was," Crespo recalled. "We did a really good job getting starting strong in singles and we had really good energy. We have a really special team chemistry. When I was playing in the end, having all my teammates pushing me through the match felt amazing."
 
Clutch Crespo lived up to his moniker when his team needed him most. Concordia has only four tennis courts, which meant the No. 5 and 6 singles matches weren't played until the other four were finished or wrapping up. The Cougars' top-4 players earned a 3-2 lead for the team, and the two remaining matches both went the distance with Crespo on court next to Brody Bohren.
 
"It was just me and Brody and we knew that one of us had to win," Crespo said. "He won his first set, which took a little bit of pressure off me, but I never let up or stopped being aggressive. Then, when he started his third set, he moved to the court next to me. I never knew the exact score of his match, but I just tried to encourage him and say 'let's show everybody what we got.' He encouraged me as well, and it feels different coming from someone who is in the middle of the same battle right next to you."
 
The Cougars only needed one of the final two matches to go their way to preserve their undefeated record, but the Golden Eagles got early breaks in the third set of both matches. However, Crespo silenced the once-rowdy Golden Eagles watching on court 2.
 
After having trailed by two breaks in the third set, he got them both back to tie the score at 4-all. Momentum was firmly in favor of the Cougars' junior transfer at that point and he held his serve to put all the pressure on Max Renz to hold to keep the match going. Crespo earned a break point and Renz double faulted under the pressure as Crespo clinched a comeback win.
 
Crespo is now 4-1 on the year in singles and has picked up two-consecutive three-set wins that each clinched 4-3 victories. The last time the Cougars won back-to-back 4-3 matches was in February 2022, and in each of those wins, Elias Emilio Walter was the one to earn the decisive singles match.
 
"I have a great relationship with Coach on the court," Crespo said. "Having him and Coach Erik [Barnard] and Coach Marlon [Wilken] next to me was huge. They've been through this so many times before. Coach Marlon said 'you've practiced so hard and this is your moment to enjoy it and secure the point for the team.' That in particular really pushed me."
 
Crespo winning at No. 3 doubles alongside Soeren Grandke, 6-1, the Golden Eagles took both of the other sets, 6-4. However, Miha Velicki overcame Max Mueller with his depth and pace to pull out a 6-4, 6-3 win to even the overall score of the match.
 
Then Walter added his win at No. 1 singles, triumphing over an in-form Spencer Cinco at the top of the lineup. Walter served for the match at 6-4, 5-3, but momentum seemed to be slipping away from him when Crespo broke to get back on serve in the second set. However, Walter broke right back the next game to win 6-4, 6-4 and grab a 2-1 lead for the Cougars as Crespo took to the court.
 
"While I waited for my turn I was thinking that I need to support my teammates," Crespo said, "but I also couldn't do too much because I knew the team might be in a position where they need me to win. The guys around the courts were giving us so much energy, like Max [Schmidhauser] was standing all match next to Concordia and supporting us."
 
The Cougars' path to victory was complicated by David James Brownlee being forced to retire with an injury. He had been within a few points of victory late in the second set and again in the tiebreaker, but Adam Large stayed alive long enough to take the second set before Brownlee had to retire.
 
The overall score was 2-2 and Grandke dropped a set for the first time this season. He bounced back to win the second set, breaking at 4-all before evening the match at 2-6, 6-4. In the third set against Felix Veyhle, who has played No. 1 singles for the Golden Eagles, both players were struggling to hold serve.
 
Grandke and Veyhle traded breaks and Grandke had a chance to serve out the match at 5-4. He had match point at deuce, but Veyhle won the deciding point to even the match at 5-all. Grandke got right back to work and earned another chance to serve out the match. This time he got a 40-love lead on his own serve for four more match points. On match point #4, Grandke hit an approach shot to Veyhle's backhand and his passing shot went into the net, giving Grandke a 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 win.

"Concordia beat Point Loma by a better score than us, so we knew we were going to have to give everything," Crespo added. "Losing the doubles point again was tough but I still thought we had great energy. In singles, Elias and Soeren were playing at a really high level. I'm also really happy for Miha to see him get that win for his confidence."
 
After Crespo won his match, the Golden Eagles took the final match of the day with Adam Kartzinel coming from behind to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 against Brody Bohren, making the overall score 4-3.
 
The Cougars are right back in action on Monday at UC Riverside. The Cougars will return home on Saturday to play against Biola.
 
Box Score: Azusa Pacific 4, Concordia 3
 
Doubles
1. Felix Veyhle/Max Mueller (CUI) def. Elias Emilio Walter/Miha Velicki (APU) 6-4
2. Spencer Cinco/Adam Kartzinel (CUI) def. David James Brownlee/Brody Bohren (APU) 6-4
3. Soeren Grandke/Joan Crespo (APU) def. Adam Large/Max Renz (CUI) 6-1
 
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
 
Singles
1. Elias Emilio Walter (APU) def. Spencer Cinco, 6-4, 6-4
2. Soeren Grandke (APU) def. Felix Veyhle (CUI) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5
3. Miha Velicki (APU) def. Max Mueller (CUI) 6-4, 6-3
4. Adam Large (CUI) def. David James Brownlee (APU) 1-6, 7-6(5), ret.
5. Joan Crespo (APU) def. Max Renz (CUI) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
6. Adam Kartzinel (CUI) def. Brody Bohren (APU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
 
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4, 2, 5, 6