SURPRISE, Ariz. — No. 9 Azusa Pacific men's tennis saw its NCAA Championship run come to an end Thursday afternoon, falling to unbeaten No. 1 seed Barry 4-0 in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Club.
The Cougars conclude the season at 23-6 overall after advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals and delivering one of the strongest postseason runs in program history.
Barry, ranked No. 2 nationally entering the tournament and now 24-0 overall, showed why it has been one of the nation's top programs throughout the season.
The Buccaneers claimed the doubles point with tight wins on courts one and two. Barry edged APU's nationally ranked tandem of Soeren Grandke and Mathys Pinoit 7-5 at No. 1 doubles before securing another 7-5 decision at No. 2. The third doubles match was left unfinished tied at 6-6.
Order of finish (doubles): 1, 2
Azusa Pacific continued to battle in singles play despite the early deficit.
Barry picked up victories on courts four, two, and three to clinch the dual, but several matches remained highly competitive when play was stopped.
At the top court, No. 26 Soeren Grandke held a strong position against No. 16 Riccardo Trione, leading 6-3, 5-4 before the match was abandoned. Joan Crespo was also in the middle of a tightly contested three-set battle at No. 5 singles, while Jacob Rudd-Hicks had grabbed momentum in the third set on court six before play concluded.
Order of finish (singles): 4, 2, 3
Although the season ended one step short of the national semifinals, Azusa Pacific's postseason run showcased the resilience and depth of the program.
From capturing the PacWest Championship to reaching the NCAA Elite Eight, the Cougars closed another memorable season among the nation's top teams.
