Singles Draw | Doubles Draw

Los Angeles, CA -- The Academy of Art University women's tennis team continued their fall slate in sunny Southern California, as all four singles players and both doubles teams made it through the first round of play on the first day. Michelle Dandik Zaale and Nina Gajdosikova both advanced to the third round of play on Friday in both singles and as a doubles team, but that's where the road ended for the Knights.

Dandik Zaale had a bye in the first round of singles but defeated Victoria Vo (CSULA) 6-3, 6-1 before falling to UCSD's Kyra Scott. Junior Jenny Johansson took down Sonoma State's Sheena Johnson 6-2, 6-2, but then dropped two sets to conference opponent Danae Ingwaldson of Azusa Pacific. Newcomer Annika Schneider handled Lisa Asai (UCSD) 6-1, 6-1, and then  Cal State Stanislaus's Analyssa Tallas 6-0, 6-0, but it was again an Azusa opponent, this time Emily Harris, who knocked the Urban Knight out of the tournament. Gajdosikova also had a bye the first round, but took down McKenzy Hardin (CSUS) 6-3, 6-4 before meeting the end of the road against Marietta Tuionetoa (BYUH).

In doubles play, Gajdosikova and Dandik Zaale teamed up against Jasmine Martinez and Taylor Barajas of Holy Names and defeated their conference opponents 8-2. They would also defeat Angelika Soblecka and Megan Lee of Fresno Pacific 8-5 but fell to Sara Celma and Kaitlyn Haitcock of Sonoma State on Friday. Schneider and Johansson also faced off against a PacWest foe, battling it out with PLNU's Maika Adair and Preethika Venugopal, taking it all the way to a tiebreaker to win 9-8 (7) before meeting their defeat at the hands of FPU's Petra Jurova and Alison Carre.

"We started out well, especially during that very long first day," said head coach Beth Daub. "We had a tough second day but the girls were always fighting hard. I'm pleased with their competitiveness but now it's back to the drawing board for spring."

The Urban Knights will take the lessons learned from the fall season and train all winter before their first match against Fresno Pacific University on February 11 of 2014.