Results: Women's Singles | Women's Doubles

LOS ANGELES – Academy of Art University women's tennis finished off its third and final day of the 2015 USTA/ITA Regional Championships on Saturday at Cal State Los Angeles' Tennis Courts. Junior Annika Schneider highlighted the Urban Knights results, winning four of five matches to reach the semifinals of the singles bracket.

"Throughout the tournament, everyone fought hard and we all had a lot of positive glimpses of the type of competitors we can become which is really exciting to see at this stage," said head coach Nicole Briceño-Garzón. "At the same time, this being the first tournament, it always helps to see where we are at as a team and the things we need to keep improving to get to where we want to be in the spring."

On Thursday, Schneider defeated both Madeline Cunningham of Point Loma (6-0, 6-0) and Valeriia Kashina of Azusa Pacific (6-3, 6-3) to reach Friday's Round of 16. Up against Sonoma State's Jensyn Warren, she prevailed 6-5, 7-6 (3) for a chance to face Jasmine Hosseini of UC San Diego in the quarterfinals. The Heidelberg, Germany native's run continued as she won 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 and entered the semifinals on Saturday. Challenging Cal State LA's Nozomi Matsuoka, Schneider fell 6-5, 4-6 (6) in a rollercoaster of a match. In the tiebreaker, she was down 4-1, came back and went ahead 5-4, but eventually fell 10-6.

"I am really proud of Annika for having such a fighting spirit when things were tough and when it counted the most," said Briceno-Garzon. "She really stepped up and showed maturity and inspiring toughness."

Also in the Round of 32 were senior Michelle Dandik Zaale along with freshmen Taisiia "Taya" Andrieieva and Paula Alcantara. Both freshmen earned a spot in the Round of 16 as Andrieva won a pair of three-set matches, defeating Sonoma State's Kaitlin Haithcock 5-7, 6-3, 10-7 then Cal State LA's Kayleigh Hall 6-4, 4-6, 10-7. In a battle to reach the quarterfinals, she would fall to Nikki Newell of Point Loma 6-0, 6-2.

Alcantara topped Jennifer Weisssmann of Point Loma 6-4, 6-2 to make the Round of 32 then pushed past Stanislaus State's Jana Diamond 7-6, 6-4 for a spot among the Round of 16. There she ended up falling to UC San Diego's Jasmine Hosseini 7-6 (3), 6-1. Dandik Zaale wound up dropping a 6-2, 6-3 match to Cassidy Ferrell of Stanislaus State in the Round of 32.

In doubles action, the two newest additions to ART U's roster, Andrieieva and Alcantara, went up against a tandem from Azusa Pacific on Thursday as part of the Round of 32. A hard-fought matchup ended with the Cougars advancing 8-6.

The Urban Knights' fall season continues in Turlock, Calif. for the Warrior Tennis Invitational on Oct. 23-25.