Women's Tennis

Cougars, Sea Lions Fall in Tight Matches at NCAA Championships

Azusa Pacific lose in four-hour battle (4-3) to UT Tyler, while Point Loma drops a 4-1 contest to Findlay.

SURPRISE, Ariz.—The Pacific West Conference’s two representatives at the NCAA National Women’s Tennis Championships put up a good fight but saw their seasons come to a close today at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Center.

Azusa Pacific spent over four hours on the courts before falling to Univ. of Texas Tyler, 4-3, and Point Loma fell to Findlay (Ohio), 4-1.

UT TYLER 4, AZUSA PACIFIC 3
Azusa Pacific’s final tennis match at the Division II level was a memorable one in what was easily the longest match of the day.

The Cougars and Patriots locked up for over four hours with UT-Tyler holding out for the narrow win. In the clinching match, which took over three hours, Hailey Zhang slipped by APU’s Karola Suviste, 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3. Suviste, who was cramping in the third set, fought off a number of match points before finally succumbing.

Earlier, Shannele Lopez tied the team score at 3-3 with a win on court four, 6-2, 6-7 (1-7), 6-2. Kimberly Tran also won on court six for the Cougars, 6-4, 6-4, and Stina Larsson was the victor on court one, 6-3, 6-1.

The Patriots had won the doubles point by clinching on court one in a tiebreaker.

APU, who is moving to Division III next year, ends 2026 at 24-3. They had won 18 matches in a row before today’s loss. UT Tyler advances to the quarterfinals at 20-7.
 
FINDLAY 4, POINT LOMA 1
#12 seed Point Loma gave #5 Findley a battle but the Oilers won out 4-1 at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Center.

Findlay improved to 22-1 on the season, while Point Loma wraps up at 18-5.

The tight play began on the doubles courts. The two teams split the three matches, with the Sea Lions winning on court two behind Alina Kupfer and Perla Conde Vendrell, 6-3. The other two courts went to the Oilers at 6-3 and 6-4.

In singles, Vendrell evened the team score by winning on court four, 6-4, 6-1. But Findlay won on courts two and three to take a 3-1 team lead. Nonetheless, Point Loma battled on two of the courts before succumbing. Kupfer dropped her first set on court one, but extended the match with a win in the second set.

But finally, after fighting off five match points, Melissa Zirkle lost on court six, 6-2, 6-4. This was Point Loma's first trip the NCAA national championships. Findlay now moves on to Wednesday's quarterfinals.