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Erika Januskova helped the Sunbirds survive a scare on Tuesday, teaming with Katarena Paliivets to pick up a key win at #1 doubles.

Women's Tennis

Shorthanded Sunbirds keep streak alive

#2 Fresno Pacific kept its undefeated GSAC winning streak alive on Tuesday, defeating league rival #7 Azusa Pacific 5-4 despite playing shorthanded due to injuries.

The Sunbirds, who have now won 92 GSAC matches in a row, were tied with the Cougars 3-3 after singles play before wins at #1 and #2 doubles gave FPU the 5-3 lead that would seal the victory.

The Sunbirds would be tested at every spot during singles play in what would be FPU's most closely-contest home match since 2010 when the Sunbirds also defeated the Cougars 5-4.

Katarena Paliivets outlasted APU #1 Natalie McNall on court one 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, Anna Mikhaylova gave the Sunbirds a win on court four and Elizabeth McFeeters did the same on court five. The Cougars picked up wins on courts 2, 3 and 6, the latter of which went down to the wire between Nicole Simoni and APU's Nakieta Hein.

Similar to the team's match at #11 Point Loma Nazarene last week, the Sunbirds found themselves tied 3-3 after singles play and needing to win at least two doubles matches. As was the case last week, the Sunbirds dominated the doubles portion of the match.

Paliivets and Erika Januskova quickly downed APU's top tandem of Hein and Harris 8-2, Yumiko Justin and Jennifer Ren would do the same on court two with an 8-5 victory, and it was only after the win was officially sealed that APU mounted a comeback on court three to make it a 5-4 final.

The Sunbirds, who have been playing without top performer Marie Boura, improved to 7-0, 6-0 in GSAC play, with the win and will take on The Master's on the road this Thursday.

Singles
1. PALIIVETS, Katarena (FPU) def. MCNALL, Natalie (APU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
2. HOFFEE, Leah (APU) def. JANUSKOVA, Erika (FPU) 6-0, 7-6
3. HARRIS, Emily (APU) def. JUSTIN, Yumiko (FPU) 7-5, 6-0
4. MIKHAYLOVA, Anna (FPU) def. KOETTERHEINRICH, Kim (APU) 6-4, 6-2
5. McFEETERS, Elizabeth (FPU) def. INGWALDSON, Danae (APU) 7-6, 6-3
6. HEIN, Nakieta (APU) def. SIMONI, Nicole (FPU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4

Doubles
1. JANUSKOVA, Erika/PALIIVETS, Katarena (FPU) def. HEIN, Nakieta/HARRIS, Emily (APU) 8-2
2. JUSTIN, Yumiko/REN, Jennifer (FPU) def. HOFFEE, Leah/INGWALDSON, Danae (APU) 8-5
3. MCNALL, Natalie/RUBY, Molly (APU) def. MIKHAYLOVA, Anna/McFEETERS, Elizabeth (FPU) 9-7

Match Notes:
Azusa Pacific 4-1, 3-1 GSAC; National ranking #7
Fresno Pacific 7-0, 6-0 GSAC; National ranking #2
FPU wins its 92nd consecutive GSAC match to improve to 92-0 all-time.
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