By Beth Renkoski

03/07/09

No. 2 Sunbirds Quiet No. 10 Lions

Costa Mesa, Calif – NAIA tenth-ranked Vanguard University had no relief in GSAC action while facing the third NAIA top-ten team in a row today in second-ranked Fresno Pacific. Coming off narrow losses to No. 7 Cal Baptist and No. 3 Azusa Pacific, the Lions continued the GSAC schedule with a 7-2 loss to the FPU Sunbirds at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

Anna Valingsten and Brittnie Furuvald combined to outlast FPU’s No. 3 doubles team 9-7, saving the Lions from a doubles sweep and sending VU into singles play trailing just 2-1. VU lost the top two doubles contests 8-6 and 8-1, respectively.

The Sunbirds dominated singles play, winning five out of six matches in straight sets, with VU’s lone singles point coming from Furuvald via default by FPU’s No. 6 singles player. Betyel Tesfa came the closest to at least pushing for a third set as she lost 6-3, 6-3, in the No. 2 singles matchup.

No. 2-ranked FPU improves to 7-1 overall and remains in first place of the GSAC standings at 6-0.

Vanguard drops to 3-5 overall and 3-4 in GSAC and will return to the courts with nonconference action against Cal Poly Pomona. The Lions are set for a 2:00 p.m. start in Pomona.

Today's Match scores:

No. 10 Vanguard (3-5, 3-4 GSAC) vs. No. 2 FPU (7-1, 6-0 GSAC)
Doubles
1. Jurcovicova/Tesfa vs. Klokotzky/Gentile FPU 8-6
2. Malakhova/Xavier vs. Heroux/Sabate FPU 8-1
3. Valingsten/Furuvald vs. McFeentens/Salley VU 9-7
Singles
1. Hana Jurcovicova vs. Katia Sabate FPU 6-1, 6-0
2. Betyel Tesfa vs. Ornella Gentile FPU 6-3, 6-3
3. Kateryna Malakhova vs. Maria Klokotzky FPU 4-1 ret
4. Anna Valingsten vs. Vanessa Heroux FPU 6-1, 6-1
5. Maria F. Xavier vs. Elizabeth McFeentens FPU 6-0, 6-1
6. Brittnie Furuvald vs. Brittany Salley VU Default

Final score: VU 2 FPU 7
VU Season record 3-5 (3-4)