AZUSA, Calif. — The momentum keeps building for the Cougars as they swept the PacWest Conference weekly honors following another unbeaten week on the court.
Junior Mathys Pinoit earned PacWest Player of the Week, while Azusa Pacific claimed Team of the Week honors after a perfect 3–0 stretch that extended its win streak to 10 matches.
Pinoit delivered a standout week, going 4–1 overall and continuing his dominant season with eight consecutive singles wins. The France native was instrumental in all three Cougar victories, highlighted by a straight-set win over Hawai'i Pacific's Ethan Terry (7-5, 6-4) and a marquee comeback victory against Tufts' Gary Bahl, the No. 18-ranked Division III player, in a thrilling three-set battle (6-7, 6-4, 10-2).
A transfer from Southern Arkansas, Pinoit also made his presence felt in doubles, teaming with Soeren Grandke to go 2–1 on court one. He now holds an impressive 15–3 singles record on the year.
As a team, Azusa Pacific improved to 15–4 overall with wins over Hawai'i Pacific (5–2), Tufts (4–3), and Colorado Mesa (7–0). The Cougars showcased their depth and resilience throughout the week, particularly in their statement victories over Tufts and a red-hot Hawai'i Pacific squad that entered on a five-match winning streak.
Against the Sharks, APU seized control early by capturing the doubles point before securing wins on the top two singles courts behind Grandke and Pinoit. Joan Crespo later clinched the match with a gritty three-set victory.
In the 4–3 win over Tufts, one of Division III's top teams, the Cougars dropped the doubles point but rallied to win four of six singles matches. Pinoit's comeback win over Bahl proved pivotal, while David James Brownlee added a clutch three-set victory on court four to seal the team result.
The Cougars also completed a dominant sweep of Colorado Mesa, winning 7–0 to cap the perfect week.
Individually, Grandke continues to lead the way nationally, ranked No. 19 in ITA singles, while the doubles pairing of Grandke and Pinoit sits at No. 23 in the latest ITA rankings.
