Match Results

Surprise, AZ -- After giving seven-time PacWest champion BYU-Hawaii a run for their money earlier in the regular season this year, the Academy of Art University women's tennis team made an upset bid once again here in the 2014 tournament before falling 5-2 to the #1-seeded Seasiders. The Urban Knights took a 2-1 lead after doubles play but the singles matches went to the opposition as BYUH came back to advance to the finals and sending ART U to the third-place match on Saturday morning. 

"We played with a lot of heart today," said head coach Beth Daub. "Being up 2-1 after doubles showed the girls just how far we have come this year. Singles was close and each player left it all out on the court. I could not be more proud of what these girls did today."

The Knights did in fact jump out to a lead after doubles, finishing in order. Nina Gajdosikova & Daniela Amelunge Antelo fell to #4-ranked Min Liu & Nannan Zhang in first singles, but soon after the hammer fell for ART U. Lucia Zavarcikova & Jenny Johansson won their sixteenth doubles match of the year, an 8-4 upset of #7 Marika Kobayashi & Marietta Tuionetoa in second doubles. Shortly after that, Annika Schneider & Michelle Dandik Zaale made it a dozen victories in a row with an 8-2 handling of Sasha Ulbrichtova & Jin Jin Han, and ART U had a 2-1 advantage.

Heading to singles play, the Knights needed three wins to advanve to the championship. But they quickly fell behind, with only Amelunge Antelo in fifth singles winning her first set. Gajdosikova came back to win a set in first singles, but Dandik Zaale in third and Schneider in fourth singles fell to their opponents to give BYUH a 3-2 lead. Amidst the many battles that very much resembled the match played earlier this year, the Knights didn't give up, but Zavarcikova fell in second to Liu and Johansson suffered only her second loss of the year in the sixth spot and the Knights were hit with the defeat. 

Academy of Art will take on Azusa Pacific tomorrow in the third place game with a chance to avenge their only loss to a team other than BYU-Hawaii. The Seasiders will advance to the championship game against Hawaii Pacific.