Senior Kim Koetterheinrich nearly reached a third set in her loss at No. 5 singles against Lynn (Fla.) on Tuesday, March 4. Photo credit: Kimberly Smith
No. 16-ranked Azusa Pacific Cougars were swept in straight sets for the first time in four years, falling to No. 6-ranked Lynn (Fla.) on Tuesday, March 4. The Cougars lost their first two doubles matches before coming close to winning the third and then were swept in singles play.
The closest the team came to winning a set was in No. 3 doubles when the tandem team, freshman Natalie Johnson and senior Stephanie Quan, brought the match against sophomore Alina Jane and junior Kim Przeszlowski to an 8-8 tie, forcing a tiebreaker. The Knights won the tiebreaker, 7-4.
In No. 1 singles, the NCAA Division II’s top player, sophomore Vale Confalonieri, beat No. 25-ranked senior Emily Harris 6-2, 6-2 and Rosalie Willig beat Johnson 6-4, 6-0 at No. 2. No. 11-ranked senior Ioana Ivan defeated junior Danae Ingwaldson 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 singles and No. 21-ranked senior Andrea Berkova beat junior Lindsey Yeom 6-1, 6-0 at No. 4 singles.
At No. 5 and 6 singles, Quan and senior Kim Koetterheinrich each came close to forcing a third set. Quan fell to sophomore Alina Jane 6-4, 7-5 and Koetterheinrich fell to senior Aleks Vukadinovic 6-2, 7-5.
Azusa Pacific will return to action on Thursday, March 6 when it faces No. 3-ranked Barry at the Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex.