AZUSA, Calif. - In a battle of national top-20 squads, the No. 17 UC San Diego women's tennis team fell by a 7-2 score to No. 13 Azusa Pacific Saturday at the Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex.
UCSD dropped to 8-15 overall while APU improved to 16-5. The Tritons have lost three straight matches, while the Cougars closed out their regular season with a sixth consecutive victory.
Tara Vanooteghem provided a bright spot for UCSD, winning her singles and doubles matches. At No. 4 singles, the senior defeated Stephanie Quan in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-2. Earlier, she paired up with Laura Wilke at No. 3 doubles to take down Kim Koetterheinrich and Quan, 9-8.
Vanooteghem and Wilke are 13-9 in doubles play this season.
Two players ranked in the top-30 nationally met at No. 1 singles. No. 22 Emily Harris of APU got the better of No. 26 Kyra Scott and won by scores of 6-4 and 6-2.
The No. 2, No. 3 and No. 6 singles contests went to the Cougars in straight sets. At No. 5, Lindsay Yeom won the opening set, 6-2, while Triton Shannon Theisen rebounded to take the second, 7-6. However, Yeom prevailed in the super-tiebreaker, edging Theisen 10-8.
At No. 1 doubles, the 17th-ranked UCSD duo of Paula Chou and Scott were downed by Harris and Natalie Johnson, 8-4.
UC San Diego went 0-2 against Azusa Pacific this season as the Cougars earned a 5-3 win on Feb. 7 in La Jolla.
UCSD plays at NCAA Division I opponent San Diego State on Sunday, April 13, at 2 p.m. The Tritons will wrap up their regular season at home against Cal State Stanislaus on Friday, April 18, at 2 p.m.
#13 Azusa Pacific 7, #17 UC San Diego 2
April 12, 2014 at Azusa, CA (Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex)
Singles
1. #22 Emily Harris (APU) def. #26 Kyra Scott (UCSD) 6-4, 6-2
2. Natalie Johnson (APU) def. Paula Chou (UCSD) 6-2, 6-1
3. Danae Ingwaldson (APU) def. Nava Nowamooz (UCSD) 6-2, 6-3
4. Tara Vanooteghem (UCSD) def. Stephanie Quan (APU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Lindsey Yeom (APU) def. Shannon Theisen (UCSD) 6-2, 6-7, 10-8
6. Kim Koetterheinrich (APU) def. Lisa Asai (UCSD) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
1. Emily Harris/Natalie Johnson (APU) def. #17 Kyra Scott/Paula Chou (UCSD) 8-4
2. Lindsey Yeom/Danae Ingwaldson (APU) def. Nava Nowamooz/Shannon Theisen (UCSD) 8-2
3. Tara Vanooteghem/Laura Wilke (UCSD) def. Kim Koetterheinrich/Stephanie Quan (APU) 9-8 (7-3)
UC San Diego 8-15; National ranking #17; Regional ranking #5
Azusa Pacific 16-5; National ranking #13; Regional ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,6,3,4,1,5)
Official: Diana Williams
#TritonsRising
