Match Results

Glendale, AZ – After facing one of the best teams the NAIA has to offer in Fresno Pacific last weekend, Academy of Art University women's tennis went up against the No. 2 ranked NCAA Division II team in BYU-Hawaii Thursday under the lights at the Paseo Racquet Center. BYUH took a 9-0 victory, but the story for ART U was the fight and determination of freshman Kinga Kurczbuch.

“Kinga Kurczbuch, a first semester freshman, showed up to play to win tonight,” head coach Jerry Peach said. “She played with purpose and played better than she has at any time since arriving at the Academy of Art campus in January. I would say she just had a coming-out kind of match. Every now and then somebody stands up and plays their heart out. She played hard, hit her shots, and did exactly what we know she can do. It was fabulous tennis and anyone watching would definitely say she is the real deal.”

In the #3 position and playing the Seasiders' Marika Kobayashi, Kurczbuch won eight games, pushing her opponent throughout the match. Though the end result was a 6-4, 6-4 win for Kobayashi, Kurczbuch had created a stepping stone for the remainder of this tournament and the young season.

Covering the other singles matches, the top-ranked NCAA Division II player, I-Hsuan (Annie) Hwang topped senior Kunkanda "Cartoon" Phukchampa 6-0, 6-1 in the #1 position while Shoazhuo (Sherry) Liu held her No. 4 national ranking with a 6-2, 6-0 win over junior Amal Ben El Hadj at #2. At the #4 singles position, the 2011 Pacific West Conference Player of the Year and currently No. 7 in the country Yuan Jia trumped freshman Jenny Johansson 6-2, 6-2, but Johansson gave her a fight like Kurczbuch.

“Jenny also played pretty well tonight, but I think everyone has to get to work,” Coach Peach said. “We need to make a commitment to playing harder.”

Rounding out singles action, BYUH's Marietta Tuionetoa defeated senior Maria "Belen" Tenorio 6-1, 6-1 at #5 and it was Alexandria (Sasha) Ulbrichto who came out on top at #6 with a 6-2, 6-1 result against senior Paola Correa Fe.

“We are not at the level of the #1 team in the country,” Coach Peach said. “The Player of the Year in Division II is currently playing #4 for the Seasiders. They are tough as nails. Our girls played hard, but the difference between playing well and winning is not a yard, it is a mile, and we now know the distance of the gap.”

At the #1 doubles position, the top team in the country (Hwang/Liu) got the better of Phukchampa and Ben El Hadj 8-3. Not surprisingly, the Knights tandem of Kurczbuch and Johansson had the best showing against the Seasiders at #2 though Jia and Tuionetoa won 8-5. Finally, it was Kobayashi and Tanja Rebholz who prevailed over freshman Sarah Lemp and senior Cecilia Hedin 8-0 at #3.

Academy of Art continues its participation in the Grand Canyon Tournament with five more matches in the next three days. ART U will be in action against Hawaii-Hilo (8:30 AM PST) and Grand Canyon (2:30 PM PST) tomorrow.

“We've now played the top NAIA team in the country as well as one of the elite teams in the NCAA to start our season so hopefully we won't let our confidence drop because it's nothing to be down about,” Coach Peach said. “We are determined to keep our spirits up going forward.”