ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - The 38th-ranked IUP women's tennis team saw its season come to an end on Tuesday as the Crimson Hawks fell to 15th-ranked Azusa Pacific 4-0 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship at Sanlando Park.
The Hawks ended their season with an 18-8 overall record. They won their third PSAC West regular season title, their fourth conference tournament title, fourth Atlantic Region championship, and advanced to their ninth NCAA round of 16 since 2011.
IUP played with just five players due to COVID-19 protocols, giving up the third doubles spot and the sixth singles spot. Azusa Pacific, the No. 7 seed in the 16-team bracket, took the doubles point as Eleonora Liga and Madison Kane defeated
Karolin Kirchtag and
Katy Graydon by a score of 6-0.
Natasha Munday and
Lydia Vlachou were leading 3-2 at the No. 2 spot.
In singles play,
Laura Dunarova lost to Audrey Stewart 6-3, 6-1 at No. 5 before APU's Kane, the 68th-ranked singles player, defeated Munday 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 to clinch the match.
Azusa Pacific advances to the national quarterfinals to face No. 2 seed Central Oklahoma on Wednesday.
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For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's tennis on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPtennis.
