Santa Clara Hidden Dual Results

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – It was all about experience for Academy of Art women's tennis while at the Santa Clara Hidden Dual, as ART U got the chance to go toe-to-toe with numerous different NCAA Division I opponents in both singles play and doubles action over the weekend. 

"The team was extremely competitive on day one, and showed no signs of backing down from the competition despite being the only Division II school in the field," said ART U Interim Head Coach Kevin Tan-Perkins. "[The team] fought hard in the last tournament of the fall season, and [they] have a lot of positive momentum heading into the spring season."

Facing off against the likes of Nevada, San Jose State, Saint Mary's and more, the Urban Knights battled their hardest throughout the tournament and came up with a pair of wins, but the real victory was the experience they gained playing against top competition. Friday's action began with doubles play against the Gaels of SMC before moving into singles action against the University of the Pacific, with the Knights capturing their first win in the tournament thanks to freshman Julia Ortega taking down Cindy Ung on court five, 7-5, 6-2. 

Saturday's slate of matches saw Academy of Art lined up against Nevada in doubles play while battling the Gaels in singles action, and though the matches ended in defeat, a pair Urban Knights pushed their opponents to the limit. Ortega nearly captured her second win of the tournament, but would drop a tie-breaking third set to her opponent, as would the doubles team of sophomore Yun "Nicole" Shiau and freshman Erica Hellbe, as they nearly outlasted their opposition from the Wolf Pack. 

The final day of competition saw the Urban Knights take on UOP once more, this time in doubles action, and it was then that ART U grabbed their second victory. It would belong to the duo of Shiau and Hellbe, as they outlasted the tandem of Klara Kosan and ELla LeRoy in a tiebreaker, 7-6(4). Action for ART U would end against Cal State Northridge, but only Shiau would come close to knocking off her opponent, falling in a tie-breaking third set. 

By the time the Urban Knights take the court again, the calendar will have flipped to 2022, so stay tuned to www. ARTUAthletics.com for all the latest women's tennis news.