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SAN DIEGO - NAIA sixth-ranked Point Loma Nazarene was defeated by visiting GSAC rivals No. 5 Azusa Pacific 6-3 on Thursday. With the loss PLNU slips to 8-4 in the season, with a 5-2 conference mark. The Cougars improved to 13-1 overall, 9-1 in the GSAC.
 
Doubles began the match and the Sea Lions were at a 2-1 disadvantage at their conclusion, winning just one of the three doubles points. That triumph came from court two's pairing of Kiersten Steinhauer and Jessica Kwan who edged Natalie McNall and Molly Ruby 9-8.
 
The other Point Loma pairings of Maika Adair/ Sharon Reibstein on court one and Wileen Chiu/ Katelyn Abayan on two fell to APU by identical scores of 8-6. Those two close losses could have gone either way and would have made a huge difference going into singles.
 
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Down 2-1 when singles began the Sea Lions tallied wins on two courts: four and six, to bump the final team count to three points.  On four Kwan overcame APU's Nakieta Hein in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 and court six saw teammate Chiu top Kim Koetterheinrich 6-3, 6-2.
 
The rest of PLNU's singles fell in straight sets -- save for court one. The losses down the ladder: Maika Adair lost to Natalie McNall 4-6, 6-3, 12-10 in a third set super tiebreaker on one; Kiersten Steinhauer lost to Leah Hoffee 6-3, 6-2 on two; Hope Penner was beaten by Emily Harris 6-0, 6-1 on court three and Sharon Reibstein fell to Danae Ingwaldson 6-3, 6-4 on five.
 
"The girls have it in them but it just didn't quite come together today," said PLNU Coach Rich Hills. "We know what to work on and we'll work to be ready for the weekend."
 
A tough match is up next for PLNU as they travel to face off against first place Fresno Pacific on Saturday. Play will begin at 1 pm, after the men conclude.
 
#5 Azusa Pacific 6, #6 Point Loma Nazarene 3
3/22/12 at San Diego, CA (PLNU Tennis Courts)

Singles competition

1. MCNALL, Natalie (APU) def. ADAIR, Maika (PLNU) 4-6, 6-3, 12-10

2. HOFFEE, Leah (APU) def. STEINHAUER, Kiersten (PLNU) 6-3, 6-2

3. HARRIS, Emily (APU) def. PENNER, Hope (PLNU) 6-0, 6-1

4. KWAN, Jessica (PLNU) def. HEIN, Nakieta (APU) 6-2, 6-0

5. INGWALDSON, Danae (APU) def. REIBSTEIN, Sharon (PLNU) 6-3, 6-4

6. CHIU, Wileen (PLNU) def. KOETTERHEINRICH, Kim (APU) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. HARRIS, Emily/INGWALDSON, Danae (APU) def. ADAIR, Maika/REIBSTEIN, Sharon (PLNU) 8-6

2. STEINHAUER, Kiersten/KWAN, Jessica (PLNU) def. MCNALL, Natalie/RUBY, Molly (APU) 9-8

3. HOFFEE, Leah/KOETTERHEINRICH, Kim (APU) def. CHIU, Wileen/ABAYAN, Katelyn (PLNU) 8-6

Match Notes

Azusa Pacific 13-1, 9-1 GSAC; National ranking #5

Point Loma Nazarene 8-4, 5-2 GSAC; National ranking #6

Doubles first (1,3,2); Singles (3,4,2,6,5,1)