Match Results

San Francisco, CA -- Rebounding from a tough loss on Friday, the Academy of Art University finished off their home schedule with a gritty win in front of a record crowd, getting a crucial 5-4 victory over Sonoma State. The Urban Knights won two of three doubles matches but needed every inch of good play in singles, as they split with the Seawolves, finally winning in an outstanding third set from freshman Annika Schneider. 

ART U was strong in doubles, with Michelle Dandik Zaale teaming up with Schneider to take care of Sheena Johnson & Karlee Budge 8-0 in the third slot. Daniela Amelunge Antelo & Nina Gajdosikova fell in first doubles to Sara Celma & Kaitlyn Haithcock 8-3, but Lucia Zavarcikova & Jenny Johansson bounced back from their first loss of the year last week to beat Leire Martinez & Lauren Ha 8-6 to give the Knights the 2-1 advantage. 

The Seawolves had been coming on strong in the second half of the year, and showed that in their singles play, pushing the Knights to the brink. Zavarcikova fell to Martinez 6-2, 6-2 in second singles to briefly tie it up at 2-2, but the Urban Knights got two wins of their own to retake the lead. Amelunge, celebrating her final home match of her career, defeated Budge 6-2, 6-3 in fifth singles, and Johansson beat Ha 6-1, 6-3 shortly afterward to put ART U only one win away. 

But Sonoma would not give up easy. Celma, ranked eighth in the country in singles and #1 in the West Region, beat Gajdosikova, ranked 50th, 6-1, 6-3 in first singles in a drawn out battle. In third singles, Dandik Zaale lost the first set but came back to win the second against Haithcock, forcing a third set. The third was a back and forth affair, but Haithcock emerged victorious to re-tie the total score at 4-4 with only one match remaining. 

The crowd gathered around the fourth singles court, where Schneider was facing off against Sheena Johnson. After persevering through a long first set that she won 7-5, Schneider let a 4-1 lead slip away as Johnson won 6-4 in the second. In the third and final set, however, the freshman showed poise beyond her years, coming back with points again and again when the occasion arose to beat Johnson 6-1 in the final set and secure the 5-4 win for the Urban Knights. 

ART U improved to 13-2 on the year and picked up a big win over a ranked regional opponent, especially crucial because of the decisions this upcoming week that will determine the Knights' seeding in the PacWest Tournament. Before they get to Phoenix, however, the Academy of Art will hit the road for two matches, taking on Fresno Pacific and Cal State Stanislaus later this week.