SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Sea Lions made history on Thursday morning as the team earned a 5-1 win over Sonoma State to earn their first ever berth in the PacWest Championship semifinals. Coming in as the fourth seed, Point Loma had a first round bye and the fifth-seeded Seawolves won their first round match yesterday to advance and face PLNU. The teams met previously on the season with the same result, a 5-1 score in favor of the Sea Lions. 

Much like the first meeting between these two teams Point Loma set the tone for the match early by dominating in doubles competition. Sonoma State kept the doubles matches close early with PLNU holding a 4-3 lead in each match before pulling away for wins. Nikki Newell and Ellie Gamble came away with the first win for the Sea Lions 8-3, followed by Carolina Cuevas and Gabi Armas taking their match 8-4. Shelby Groeneveld and Michelle Torres held a 7-4 lead but the pair of Jensyn Warren and Carolyn Brooner would take two straight sets to cut their lead to one before Point Loma was able to close out the match, and doubles play, with an 8-6 victory. 

The team only needed two points to secure the match heading to singles play. Jensyn Warren, the fourth-ranked singles player in the country, would earn the Seawolves their only point with a win over Newell to begin singles play. Groeneveld earned a 6-1, 6-2 win to put the Sea Lions within a point of victory but it was Michelle Torres, who didn't even get a chance to start her match against the Seawolves in the previous meeting, who earned the fifth and final point. That win put the Sea Lions into the PacWest semifinals for the first time in school history and they will face a tough test from the No. 2 team in the country, the Hawaii Pacific Sharks. 

Team Records
Point Loma 18-5, Sonoma State 17-8

Wheeler's Words
On the importance of winning doubles: "Sweeping doubles today was absolutely huge for the ladies. First, Sonoma being a strong singles team, the 3-0 start took a lot of pressure off of singles and the sweep helped us clinch the match earlier which gives us extra rest for the rest of the tournament."

On the program's first semifinal berth: "The Ladies reaching the semifinals this year is just more evidence to the great season they have had so far. We are not satisfied just making the semifinals though, the ladies are hungry to win the next two days."

On facing a tough team in HPU: "HPU will definitely be a tough test tomorrow, but the ladies do not need to do anything different than what they normally do. They will be focused, play with confidence, and ready for a battle."

Up Next
Point Loma will face their toughest test of the season when they take on the No. 2 team in the country, Hawaii Pacific, in the PacWest semifinals tomorrow at 9 a.m.   

#23 Point Loma 5, Sonoma State 1
Singles competition
1. #4 Jensyn Warren (SSU) def. #46 Nikki Newell (PLNU-WT) 6-2, 6-1
2. #12 CarolinaShelby Groeneveld vs. #44 Amanda Zuidema (SSU) 6-2, unfinished
3. #48 Shelby Groeneveld (PLNU-WT) def. Carolyn Brooner (SSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Gabi Armas (PLNU-WT) vs. Clarisa Colling (SSU) 6-2, 3-3, unfinished
5. Ellie Gamble (PLNU-WT) vs. Jenna DeTurk (SSU) 6-2, 5-1, unfinished
6. Michelle Torres (PLNU-WT) def. Katherine LShelby Groeneveld2

Doubles competition
1. Shelby Groeneveld/Michelle Torres (PLNU-WT) def. Jensyn Warren/Carolyn Brooner (SSU) 8-6
2. Carolina Cuevas/Gabi Armas (PLNU-WT) def. Amanda Zuidema/Jenna DeTurk (SSU) 8-4
3. Nikki Newell/Ellie Gamble (PLNU-WT) def. Katherine Long/Hannah Highsmith (SSU) 8-3

Match Notes:
Sonoma State 17-8; Regional ranking #5
Point Loma 18-5; National ranking #23; Regional ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,3,6)
PacWest Women's Tennis Championship Quarterfinals
Point Loma is the #4 seed
Sonoma State is the #5 seed
T-2:35