(SAN DIEGO) PLNU Women's Tennis lost its last two matches by a heartbreaking 4-3 margin.
 
On Thursday afternoon, the Sea Lions' fortunes in close contests changed when they won 4-3 against NCAA Division I Santa Clara.
 
"I'm super happy for the girls because they've been playing good tennis and have been a little unfortunate with some close ones not going our way," Head Coach Curt Wheeler said. "Sometimes it's hard to stay confident but they did a great job bouncing back."
 
After doubles, it appeared to be the makings of another close match that might not go the Sea Lions' way.
 
PLNU won the first doubles match to finish at No. 3, as Thelma Sepulveda and Rachel Whittington broke their opponents' serve while leading 4-2 before Sepulveda clinched the victory with an ace.
 
However, Santa Clara picked up a comeback win at No. 1 doubles before the Broncos edged the Sea Lions on court two in a tiebreak.
 
Trailing 5-6, a flurry of Arianna Audelo overhand volleys prolonged the set and won the first point of the tiebreak, only for the visitors to pick up the doubles point with a 7-3 triumph in the tiebreak.
 
"Doubles was very close on every court and the close ones didn't go our way, but they responded really well in singles," Wheeler said of his team. "At this point in the season, they've seen everything. Nothing surprises them and nothing gets them out of the mindset they need to be in and that's how they're going to be most consistent."
 
Point Loma proceeded to win four out of six singles matches, with Amanda Letzring and Whittington starting things off with victories at No. 5 and 6 respectively.
 
An immediate break of serve sparked Letzring in her first set before she didn't drop a game in the second to win 6-3, 6-0.
 
Whittington jumped out to 3-0 leads in both of her sets on her way to winning 6-1, 6-2.
 
After Joelle Lanz cruised in her first set, 6-2, she won the second stanza by an identical margin after breaking her opponent's serve three-straight times to start the set.
 
Sepulveda then won her 13th-straight singles match, capping it off with ace to clinch the overall match for the Sea Lions with her 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 4.
 

W🎾 FINAL

Point Loma - 4
Santa Clara - 3 pic.twitter.com/w82rHhelUt

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) April 7, 2023

 
"It's a great team win against a tough Division I team," Wheeler said. "When we play well as a team, we're really difficult to play against. The girls showed that today.
 
"We're tough on every court and even in the matches that haven't gone our way, they know we were a couple points away. Today we got those couple points."
 
Point Loma (12-6 overall) next travels to play at Biola on Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
"The girls are excited for the challenge ahead knowing there's going to be some tough matches, but they embrace that," Wheeler said.