#1 Fresno Pacific established GSAC supremacy heading into the rest of the conference schedule, by beating #4 Azusa Pacific 6-3 for the second time this season.

It would be another close encounter as the top two teams in the GSAC battled it out today in Azusa, but the Sunbirds emerged the victors once again.

Just as had happened earlier in the season the Sunbirds lost at number one doubles and managed to pick up wins at number two and three. Xavier Smith and Kirill Sinitsyn were beaten 8-4 by Hofenagles and Apelt at number one leaving it up to the number two and three pairs to pick up two wins to take the lead going into singles play, and that is exactly what they did.

Amarit Sanchez and Nathan Martinet were able to take the match 8-4 to level the score at number three. Cledson Carvalho and Jaime Sanchez-Canamares had a tough time with Ikonnikov and Hough but after an intense match emerged the winners 8-6.

Going into singles leading 2-1 helped the Sunbirds as they were able to get to 5-1 pretty quickly. Martinet finished first with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Hough at number four. To clinch the match, Smith and Sanchez-Canamares finished almost simultaneously playing number three and six respectively.

Smith won his match impressively without dropping a single game and Sanchez-Canamares won his match 6-1, 6-3. Azusa Pacific continued to fight and were able to win at number one and two singles today in two very close matches. Sanchez playing at number five won a third set match tie-break which saw him gain revenge over Azusa Pacific after a loss earlier in the season.

Coach Neil Castro said “I was impressed with a lot of the guys today, they played well when they needed to and that is why we got the result we did today”

The Sunbirds will return to action on Wednesday to take on another top-10 team, Point Loma Nazarene, at home at 11 am.

#1 Fresno Pacific 6, #4 Azusa Pacific 3
03/28/11 at Azusa, Calif. (Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex)

Singles competition

1. APELT, Janosch (APU) def. SINITSYN, Kirill (FPU) 6-4, 1-6, 10-4

2. HOEFNAGELS, Jochem (APU) def. CARVALHO, Cledson (FPU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2

3. SMITH, Xavier (FPU) def. EGER, Benedikt (APU) 6-0, 6-0

4. MARTINET, Nathan (FPU) def. HOUGH, Whitman (APU) 6-3, 6-1

5. SANCHEZ, Amarit (FPU) def. WILKENS, Frederik (APU) 6-4, 2-6, 10-6

6. SANCHEZ-CANAMARES, J (FPU) def. IKONNIKOV, Ilja (APU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. APELT, Janosch/HOEFNAGELS, Jochem (APU) def. SINITSYN, Kirill/SMITH, Xavier (FPU) 8-4

2. CARVALHO, Cledson/SANCHEZ-CANAMARES, J (FPU) def. HOUGH, Whitman/IKONNIKOV, Ilja (APU) 8-6

3. MARTINET, Nathan/SANCHEZ, Amarit (FPU) def. EGER, Benedikt/WILKENS, Frederik (APU) 8-4

Match Notes

Fresno Pacific 14-2, 7-0 GSAC; National ranking #1

Azusa Pacific 11-4, 7-2 GSAC; National ranking #4

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,6,3,1,5,2)

Official: Howard / Kosakowski T-2:59 A-60