AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific's Vini Bautista saw and conquered the No. 21 NCAA Division II singles player with a 6-2, 3-6, 10-4 victory at No. 1 singles to headline the Cougars' 6-1 win over PacWest opponent Cal State LA on a wet Wednesday afternoon at the Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex.
 
Bautista has settled into her new role as the Cougars' No. 1 nicely, earning her second win in a row to start the season and spoiling the debut of the Golden Eagles' star transfer Sofia Pavlova.
 
After reaching the ITA Fall West Regional singles final for Academy of Art Pavlova earned the No. 21 ranking in the nation but transferred within the conference to Cal State LA. However, her return to the Cougar Tennis Complex did not go as smoothly as her last visit with Bautista coming out on top in a tough 3-set battle.
 
All but three of the sets in the match went to the Cougars, who won five of the six singles matches. In doubles, Bautista partnered with Julia Jordan to earn a 6-1 win. That was quickly followed by a 6-3 triumph for the all-Freshman duo of Karola Suviste and Stina Larsson. Katherine Nguyen and Tina Moser played together for the first time, and their No. 3 doubles set was left unfinished at 4-5.
 
In singles, Moser rushed to a double-bagel victory for her second win of the season at No. 6 singles to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. That quickly became a 3-0 lead with Suviste's 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles and then Larsson won her match 6-2, 6-0.
 
The freshman trio continue to make a strong initial impression as they begin their collegiate careers. They are now a combined 6-0 in singles matches, having lost only eight total games in 12 sets. Their three speedy wins clinched the victory before the Golden Eagles could get on the board.
 
Jordan won her match at No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-4. Cal State LA's Sarah Olmos  earned the Golden Eagles lone point. After Nguyen put together a strong second set, Olmos bounced back in the match tiebreak to win 6-2, 1-6, 10-6.
 
With all other matches completed, attention turned to No. 1 singles where Bautista and Pavlova were locked in a match tiebreaker. Bautista built a significant lead in the tiebreaker and ended up running away with it 10-4 to earn her second win at No. 1 singles.
 
The Cougars will hit the road for the first time this weekend, playing at Point Loma on Saturday at 10 a.m. before traveling to Westmont on Monday. Saturday's match against the Sea Lions will be livestreamed here.