AZUSA, Calif -- The NAIA No. 3-ranked PLNU women's tennis team stumbled in the GSAC finale of the year, losing to sixth-ranked Azusa Pacific 7-2 Wednesday afternoon at the Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex. Loma's record falls to 18-2 overall with 13-2 in GSAC while Azusa bumps up to 18-4 overall with 12-3 in GSAC.
Singles kicked off this match and the ladies only managed to pull off two points on courts one and two. No. 2 Ashley Litchfield breezed through her first set 6-0 but then struggled to take her second, finally managing it with a final score of 7-6 after an 11-9 tie-breaker.
Kristin Strimple went to three sets after winning the first 6-1 but then losing the second 6-3. Her opponent, Sheryl Bon-Baklov prevailed 7-6 (7-3) in the third. It was the first loss of the season for the senior All-American.
The rest of the girls fought but couldn't quite make it happen. Jessica Kwan on court three lost her first set 6-2, and, though she tried, couldn't snag the next set, falling 7-5. No. 5 Maika Adair lost 6-0, 6-2 and Wileen Chiu on court six was beat 6-3, 6-1.
Court three saw a rally which lasted the longest of the singles matches, with Rachel Owens pushing her match to its third set to try and take another point for the Sea Lions. She won her first set 7-5 but then was just edged in her second 7-6 (7-4). The third set was tough as well, but Owens finally emerged triumphant 7-6 (11-9).
The match was over as far as deciding a team winner when No. 3 team Kiersten Steinhauer and Chiu were beaten 9-7. PLNU's other two doubles teams fell as well. Litchfield and Strimple lost 8-6 on one with Kwan and Owens falling on two, 8-5
The ladies next move on to the Ojai Tournament in Ojai which is scheduled to last all weekend.
#6 Azusa Pacific 7, #3 Point Loma Nazarene 2
04/27/11 at Azusa, Calif. (Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex)
| Singles competition |
| 1. BON-BAKALOV, Sheryl (APU) def. STRIMPLE, Kristin (PLNU) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) |
| 2. LITCHFIELD, Ashley (PLNU) def. McNALL, Natalie (APU) 6-0, 7-6 (11-9) |
| 3. HARRIS, Emily (APU) def. KWAN, Jessica (PLNU) 6-2, 7-5 |
| 4. OWENS, Rachel (PLNU) def. KOETTERHEINRICH, Kim (APU) 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (11-9) |
| 5. HOFFEE, Leah (APU) def. ADAIR, Maika (PLNU) 6-0, 6-2 |
| 6. WETZIG, Casey (APU) def. CHIU, Wileen (PLNU) 6-3, 6-1 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. BON-BAKALOV, Sheryl/HARRIS, Emily (APU) def. LITCHFIELD, Ashley/STRIMPLE, Kristin (PLNU) 8-6 |
| 2. HOFFEE, Leah/WETZIG, Casey (APU) def. KWAN, Jessica/OWENS, Rachel (PLNU) 8-5 |
| 3. McNALL, Natalie/RUBY, Molly (APU) def. CHIU, Wileen/STEINHAUER, Kiersten (PLNU) 9-7 |
| Match Notes |
| Point Loma Nazarene 18-3, 13-3 GSAC; National ranking #3 |
| Azusa Pacific 19-4, 13-3 GSAC; National ranking #6 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,5,3,2,1,4) |
| Singles contested first, followed by doubles |
| Official: Emmanuel Howard T-4:38 A-55 |
