ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- The seventh-ranked ACU Wildcats had an old nemesis on the ropes Wednesday morning, but couldn't close the deal as they lost in the Round of 16 at NCAA Division II national tennis tournament at Sanlando Park.
The Wildcats (27-8) led fourth-ranked Lynn, Fla. (24-3) 2-1 after doubles play, but couldn't seal the deal as the Knights won four of five singles matches to take the match by a 5-3 count. The loss drops ACU to 0-5 all-time against Lynn with all five matches coming in the national tournament. Lynn knocked ACU out of last year's tournament with a 5-2 win in the semifinals.
The Wildcats started out hot as
Jaclyn Walker and
Julia Mongin beat Magdelena Ekert and Katerina Jiskrova, 9-7, at No. 1 doubles, while
Hannah Kelley and
Cassie Carver knocked off Tessie Salame and Jessica Yanoff, 8-6, at No. 2 doubles.
Walker and Mongin entered the match ranked No. 8 in the country in doubles, while Jiskrova and Ekert were No. 5. The win for Walker and Mongin should solidify their bid for first team all-America honors.
But the Wildcats -- who led 2-1 after doubles in last year's semifinal loss -- couldn't close out the upset in singles play. Lynn has three players ranked in the nation's top 20 in singles player (Jiskrova at No. 8, Ekert at No. 15 and Eleoora Iannozzi at No. 20), and that depth and strength proved to a powerful combination.
Ekert beat Mongin at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-3, while Iannozzi beat Carver, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 3 singles. Jessica Yanoff beat
Dina Pavlin at No. 4, 6-0, 6-3, and Salame's 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 win over Kelley at No. 5 was enough to give the Knights the win.
ACU's only win in singles came at No. 6 where
Natalie Friend knocked off Christine Johnstone, 6-3, 6-2.
Wednesday's loss marks just the sixth time that ACU has been eliminated from the bracket in the first round in 23 trips to the national tournament.
Lynn 5, Abilene Christian 3
Singles
2. Magdelena Ekert (LU) def.
Julia Mongin (ACU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Eleonora Iannozzi (LU) def.
Cassie Carver (ACU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Jessica Yanoff (LU) def.
Dina Pavlin (ACU) 6-0, 6-3
5. Tessie Salame (LU) def. Hanna Kelly (ACU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
6.
Natalie Friend (ACU) def. Christine Johnstone (LU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
1.
Jaclyn Walker/-ulia Mongin (ACU) def. Magdelena Ekert-Katerina Jiskrova (LU) 9-7
2. Hanna Kelly-
Cassie Carver (ACU) def. Tessie Salame-Jessica Yanoff (LU) 8-6
3. Eleonora Iannozzi-Christine Johnstone (LU) def.
Dina Pavlin-
Lauren White (ACU) 8-3
