SURPRISE, Ariz. - A sixth-straight doubles sweep followed by two swift singles victories propelled Abilene Christian's fifth-ranked women's tennis team past No. 13 West Florida and into the NCAA Championship semifinals Thursday afternoon at the Surprise Racquet & Tennis Complex.
The Wildcats' 5-1 victory was their second this year over the Argonauts, and pushed their winning streak to 16 in improving to 29-5.
West Florida's spring comes to an end at 22-7. The Argonauts lost 5-4 to ACU last month on their home court in Pensacola, Fla.
"West Florida is a tough team but we were tougher and it's on to the semis," head coach
Hutton Jones said. "Our team has nine cylinders and we're trying our best to hit a match will all nine performing at their competitive best. Today was close to that and tomorrow must be closer still."
ACU's semifinal opponent will be third-ranked BYU-Hawai'i, which eliminated the Wildcats from last year's postseason by a 5-0 margin. The 27-1 Seasiders defeated No. 14 Northeastern State and No. 29 California (Pa.) to reach the semis and return the nation's No. 1 doubles team of Annie Hwang and Sherry Liu. As individuals, Hwang ranks second and Liu is sixth. BYU-Hawaii also claims the No. 9 duo of Marietta Tuionetoa and Marika Kobayashi.
Fourth-ranked Hawai'i Pacific will be matched against the defending national champions and second-ranked Pirates of Armstrong Atlantic in the other semifinal. Armstrong today ousted No. 1 Barry in their quarterfinal match, 5-3, while the Sea Warriors' road to the semis included wins over No. 14 New York Institute of Technology and No. 29 Southwestern Baptist.
Both semifinals will take place Friday at 2 p.m. CT.
The Wildcats began their match vs. West Florida with two rollover victories at No. 1 and 2 doubles. Fifth-ranked
Julia Mongin and
Brittney Reed defeated Monika Kochanova and Giovana Patitucci, 8-2, while at No. 2, 15th-ranked
Micah Hermsdorf and
Hannah Kelley topped sisters Luiza and Mariana Sonnervig, 8-3.
Securing the win at No. 3 doubles proved to be a little more difficult, but
Kaysie Hermsdorf and
Laura Mongin eventually got the job done in beating Fernanda Amaral and Nina Bubelova, 9-7, to remain undefeated this season at 12-0.
Julia Mongin and Reed have won nine straight in raising their season mark to 14-2, while
Micah Hermsdorf and Kelley extended their season-best winning streak to 14 and are now 19-3 this spring.
Overall, ACU's 17 doubles combinations are a combined 84-11 (.884) and have not suffered a doubles loss since their April 13 match vs. the Argos. And the last time the Wildcats lost more than one doubles contest at any dual was on March 14 vs. Armstrong Atlantic in Las Vegas.
This afternoon's sweep was ACU's sixth straight and 21st of the season.
The Wildcats' 3-0 cushion heading into singles proved to be beneficial as they were challenged at all three top positions and lost at No. 6, where
Kaysie Hermsdorf had her four-match winning streak snapped by Amaral, 6-3, 6-0. Hermsdorf's loss was ACU's first of the postseason.
Fortunately for ACU, senior
Hannah Kelley quickly finished her match at No. 5 over Patitucci, 6-1, 6-0, to give the Wildcats a 4-0 lead, and right as
Kaysie Hermsdorf lost her match,
Laura Mongin was coming off the court with the dual-clinching point.
Laura Mongin beat Mariana Sonnervig, 6-2, 6-0 at No. 4 for her ninth straight win and 20th of the season.
ACU trailed two of three matches that were left unfinished. At. No. 1 singles, 15th-ranked
Julia Mongin trailed No. 25 Kochanova, 4-3, in the second set after losing the first, 6-0.
Micah Hermsdorf defeated Kochanova in three sets in Pensacola last month, but today lost her first set to Luiza Sonnervig, 7-5 and trailed 5-0 in the second when the match was stopped.
Reed led Bubelova at No. 3 singles, 6-0, 5-4.
#
#5 Abilene Christian 5, #13 West Florida 1
May 09, 2013 at Surprise, Ariz. (Surprise Racquet & Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. #15
Julia Mongin (ACUW) vs. #25 Monika Kochanova (UWF) 0-6, 3-4, unfinished
2.
Micah Hermsdorf (ACUW) vs. #38 Luiza Sonnervig (UWF) 5-7, 0-5, unfinished
3.
Brittney Reed (ACUW) vs. Nina Bubelova (UWF) 6-0, 5-4, unfinished
4.
Laura Mongin (ACUW) def. Mariana Sonnervig (UWF) 6-2, 6-0
5.
Hannah Kelley (ACUW) def. Giovana Patitucci (UWF) 6-1, 6-0
6. Fernanda Amaral (UWF) def.
Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACUW) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #6
Julia Mongin/
Brittney Reed (ACUW) def. Monika Kochanova/Giovana Patitucci (UWF) 8-2
2. #15
Micah Hermsdorf/
Hannah Kelley (ACUW) def. Luiza Sonnervig/Mariana Sonnervig (UWF) 8-3
3.
Kaysie Hermsdorf/
Laura Mongin (ACUW) def. Fernanda Amaral/Nina Bubelova (UWF) 9-7
Match Notes
West Florida 22-7; National ranking #13
Abilene Christian 29-5; National ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,6,4)
2013 NCAA Division D-II Women's Tennis Quarterfinals
