(FRESNO, Calif.) Alexander Leischner finished as runner-up in both singles and doubles at the ITA West Regional Championships, highlighting a successful tournament for PLNU Men's and Women's Tennis.
 
"The men's and women's team both performed well at the fall ITA West Regional Tournament," Head Coach Curt Wheeler said. "It was a lot of tennis over three days and the teams responded great by playing tremendous tennis combined with strong mental toughness."
 
On Saturday morning, fourth-seeded doubles pairing Leischner and Nabeel Khan placed second in doubles, only losing to the top seed Miha Velicki/Elias Walter of Azusa Pacific, 3-8.
 
The PLNU duo's run to the championship included an 8-5 semifinal victory over second-seeded Adrian Solorzano/Nico Ramirez of Biola.
 
Leischner finishes as regional doubles runner-up for the second-straight year after doing so with Fabian Penzkofer in 2022.
 
The top seed in singles then reached the singles championship after a commanding 6-2, 6-1 semifinal victory over Ryo Minakata of Hawaii Hilo.
 
In the championship against second-seeded Ramirez, Leischner bounced back from a 3-6 loss in the first set to force a super tiebreak with a resounding 6-0 second-set victory. However, Biola's Ramirez prevailed 10-8 in the super tiebreak to deny Leischner a second-straight regional singles title.
 

Alexander Leischner finishes as singles runner-up at the ITA West Regional Championships, after finishing as regional runner-up earlier in the day in doubles with partner Nabeel Khan. pic.twitter.com/ftkJqWClIB

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) September 24, 2023

 
In consolation doubles, Elias Weeks and Andrew Suver made it to the championship that was ultimately not played.
 
After four PLNU Women's Tennis players reached the singles Round of 16, Amanda Letzring represented the Sea Lions in the quarterfinals.
 
There she was stopped in a super tiebreak to eventual regional singles champion Cristiana Miruna Tudor of APU – 6-4, 4-6 (10-6).
 
Anna Pallencaoe won the women's singles consolation title, defeating Amelija Supulniece of ART U in the championship – 4-6, 6-4 (10-4).
 
Thelma Sepulveda and Arianna Audelo teamed up to win the consolation doubles crown, defeating ART U's Supulniece/Erica Hellbe in the title match, 8-6.
 
"Both teams showed they have everything they need to be successful for the upcoming spring season 2024 season," Wheeler said.