Box Score MOBILE, Ala. — While the season's longest winning streak came to a close at the NCCAA National Championships, the season did not. No. 1 (NCCAA)/No. 14 (NCAA D-II) Azusa Pacific blew through Southern Nazarene 5-1 in the final match of pool play, but the Crimson Storm will live to play at least one more day as they prepare for the semifinals.
The Crimson Storm (10-6) gave up one early with the default at No. 3 doubles and APU's No. 1 doubles team, ranked No. 17 in NCAA Division II, cruised past
Masha Andrianova and
Natalia Moreno to an 8-2 win to lead 2-0.
Marina Shipilova and
Karina Kotova though battled back from being down 4-3 to taking a 7-6 lead. The Cougars' though tied it at 7-7, but Shipilova and Kotova answered with two straight games to take the match at 9-7 and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Azusa Pacific though scored a win at No. 6 on a default and
Haley Cantwell lost 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 to give the Cougars a quick 4-1 lead. APU put it away at No. 2 singles as Moreno fell 6-1, 6-3 to give the Cougars the 5-1 win.
SNU will now play for a spot in the national title game as it will take on No. 4 (NCCAA)/No. 23 (NCAA D-II) Shorter in the semifinals, Thursday, at 9 a.m.