SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Point Loma women's tennis team came into the PacWest Championships seeded seventh but they are leaving as the consolation champions after defeating No. 4 seeded Azusa Pacific, 5-3, on Saturday, Apr. 18.
 
This was the third time the Sea Lions and Cougars had matched up this season, and the third time proved to be the charm as PLNU avenged its two earlier season losses. The No. 25 Sea Lions finish the season at 11-13 while No. 18 Azusa Pacific completes its season at 14-11.
 
 Once again Point Loma had to overcome an early deficit after falling behind in doubles. Yesterday PLNU went down 0-3 before storming back to upset Sonoma State 5-4, and today Point Loma fell behind 1-2. The Sea Lions' lone victory in doubles came at No. 3s with Hillary Ramage and Kirsty Mountain defeating the duo from Azusa Pacific, 8-4, to give PLNU a little momentum going into singles.
 
Point Loma grabbed hold of that boost of energy and swung the match in their favor. First Jen Weissmann won 6-3 and 6-4 at No. 5 to tie the match but APU immediately regained the lead with a win at No. 3.
 
The Sea Lions then ran the table with three straight wins to capture the consolation crown. Kirsty Mountain earned a 6-3 and 6-2 win on court 6 and then Nikki Newell knocked off the No. 17 player in the country, Natalie Johnson, in three sets 2-6, 6-3 and 6-3.
 
Hillary Ramage finished off the Cougars in a third set tiebreaker as she swept the tiebreaker 4-0 to win the match 4-6, 6-3 and 6-5 to seal the victory for the Sea Lions.
 
"With how good the women fought and played, I couldn't think of a better way to end the season," said Point Loma head coach Curt Wheeler. "This was probably the best tennis the girls have played all year, and it was a great time to be playing our best. I think we really showed today and in this tournament how well we can play and that we can compete with very good teams."
 
"It is very rare to have back-to-back matches come down to a final court," continued Wheeler. "The hardest part is for the person playing knowing that if they win the team wins, and if they lose the team loses. Both girls the last two days, Kirsty yesterday and Hillary today, did a great job staying with their game plan and staying focused. They stayed in the moment, stayed positive, played their game and it showed in how they played all the way to the finish line." 

#25 Point Loma 5, #18 Azusa Pacific 3
Singles competition
1. Newell, Nikki (PLNU-WT) def. #17 Natalie Johnson (APU-W) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Valeriia Kashina (APU-W) vs. von Koch, Regina (PLNU-WT) unfinished
3. Jackie Resler (APU-W) def. Venugopal, Preethika (PLNU-WT) 6-4, 6-3
4. Ramage, Hillary (PLNU-WT) def. Danae Ingwaldson (APU-W) 4-6, 6-3, 6-5 (4-0)
5. Weissmann, Jen (PLNU-WT) def. Lindsey Yeom (APU-W) 6-3, 6-4
6. Mountain, Kirsty (PLNU-WT) def. Sierra Troxel (APU-W) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Natalie Johnson/Danae Ingwaldson (APU-W) def. Newell, Nikki/Weissmann, Jen (PLNU-WT) 8-3
2. Valeriia Kashina/Jackie Resler (APU-W) def. von Koch, Regina/Venugopal, Preethika (PLNU-WT) 8-4
3. Ramage, Hillary/Mountain, Kirsty (PLNU-WT) def. Bethany Duval/Sierra Troxel (APU-W) 8-4

Match Notes:
Point Loma 10-13; National ranking #25; Regional ranking #8
Azusa Pacific 14-10; National ranking #18; Regional ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,3,6,1,4)
A-144