Story by UNK Athletic Communications
Kearney, Neb. – A historic two-year run by the 22nd-ranked Nebraska Kearney women's tennis team came to and with a 4-2 loss to 21st-ranked Azusa Pacific (Calif.) in the NCAA Sweet 16 Wednesday afternoon in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Over the last two seasons UNK went 41-12 in duals, won two MIAA regular season titles, and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 twice. Last year, the Lopers beat Azusa, 4-1, to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. Azusa (21-4) will face defending national champion Nova Southeastern (Fla.) Thursday morning in this year's Elite 8. Today's rematch came in 90-degree weather with 50% humidity. There were many of the same names from last year's dual but only one rematch (four singles) with the Cougars getting things started with a close win in doubles.
At two, APU won 6-0 with UNK having a a big lead at three and the Cougars the same at one. However, both sides rallied so the team point was up for grabs. But the Cougars literally hung on at one (7-6; 7-5) to go up 1-0 with Lincoln redshirt junior Clare Plachy and Venezuelan sophomore Fabiana Gamboa recording a 6-4 decision at three. The 50th-ranked tandem of Julia Jordan and Vini Bautista won at one over 17th-ranked Narindra Ranaivo (Madagascar) and Tanya Midzi (Zimbabwe). Last year, Jordan and Bautista won at two, but UNK was victorious at three, 7-5, and, ironically, 7-6 (7-5) at one to grab the point. APU won in straight sets at six singles (-1, -1) to take a 2-0 lead with the 13th-ranked Gamboa doing the same at one (-2, -2) to get UNK (20-6) on the board. Next, the Cougs won in straight sets at five (-4, -3) with Colorado senior Alexis Bernthal sweeping Kathrine Ngyuen at four (-1, -1). Last year, this match went unfinished with Bernthal up a set.
Finally, the dual came down to two and three singles with Midzi winning her first set at five (7-5) and the 35th-ranked Ranaivo doing the same at two (7-6; 8-6). However, West Region Rookie of the Year Stina Larsson (Sweden) rallied past Midzi to clinch the dual (-2, -2) with Bautista up 4-0 in the third over Ranaivo after taking set two, 6-3.UNK loses Bernthal, Hatouka and Ranaivo to graduation. They combined for 438 wins over the past four years, and off the court, each maintained well over a 3.5 GPA.