MOBILE, Ala. -- Azusa Pacific has put together several standout runs at the NAIA Championship Tournament and it is back at it again.
After receiving a first round bye, its 5-1 win over Indiana Wesleyan put the Cougars into the quarterfinals.
There they will meet a familiar opponent as they will battle Vanguard, which knocked off Point Loma Nazarene to advance. If the tournament seems to be GSAC-heavy that would be an accurate assessment. The conference has 3 teams left involved in play tomorrow with only 8 teams remaining.
The Cougars advanced after sweeping all 3 doubles matches and getting wins from the middle of their order to post the victory over the Wildcats on a sunshine filled morning match at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama.
Azusa Pacific got a pair of tone setting doubles matches that got the Cougars off to a running start. Jennifer Dao and Kim Tran throttled Sarah Bauss and Erin Neuenschwander, 8-0 at No. 1 doubles. Peggy Bell and Raquel Gottfried had a smooth match beating Julie Hedgebeth and Lara Helm, 8-1.
In the meantime, Bay Daniels and Katy Jelsma fought hard and earned a tough 8-6 decision at No. 2 doubles.
The commanding lead was supported by singles wins by Tran and Daniels. Between the pair of them they only dropped 3 games. Confirming the excellent first bit of tennis for the Cougars was they held the lead in 3 of the other singles matches.
Azusa Pacific and Vanguard will begin their match with first serve scheduled at 7 a.m. pacific time.
Singles
#1 - Jennifer Dao (APU) vs. Sarah Bauss (IWU), 6-1, 2-1 - DNF
#2 - Peggy Bell (APU) vs. Erin Neuenschwander (IWU), 6-1, 3-1 DNF
#3 - Kim Tran (APU) def. Julie Hedgebeth (IWU), 6-1, 6-0
#4 - Bay Daniels (APU) def. Shannon Gehrke (IWU), 6-1, 6-1
#5 - Raquel Gottfried (APU) vs. Kristi Haddad (IWU), 6-2, 2-1 DNF
#6 - Brittany Raymond (IWU) def. Katy Jelsma (APU), 0-6, default
Doubles
#1 - Dao/Tran (APU) def. Bauss/Neuenschivander (IWU), 8-0
#2 - Daniels/Jelsma (APU) def. Gehrke/Raymond (IWU), 8-6
#3 - Bell/Gottfried (APU) def. Hedgebeth/Laura Helm (IWU), 8-1
