Match Results

Photo Gallery (images by Christor Lukasiewicz)

San Francisco, CA -- The Urban Knights went into this weekend with the chance to come out the best in the Bay Area, with matches against North Bay rivals Dominican and one on Sunday against South Bay foes Notre Dame de Namur. On Saturday, the Knights dominated the Penguins 8-1 at the San Francisco Tennis Club to finish the first leg of that journey, with the last challenge coming tomorrow in Belmont.

The Knights (7-5) battled in doubles play to start off, with Kunkanda "Cartoon" Phukchampa and Amal Ben El Hadj defeating Irina Morozova and Gaby Vespieren 8-4. That momentum continued into the number two doubles match, when Diane Phan and Daniela Amelunge Antelo thumped Jessica Curtlett and Mariana Ariana Paradis 8-0. The Penguins got their lone win of the day in the number three doubles spot, when Jenny Johansson and Maria "Belen" Tenorio fell 8-4 to their Dominican counterparts.

"Dominican played really well out there," said head coach Jerry Peach. "We really had to battle, and they've got a tough team. We really doff our hats to them for their effort out there, because they came in here and played."

Heading into singles play, the Knights continued a remarkable streak of 24 straight singles victories. Phukchampa had two long battles with Morozova, but came out on top 7-5, 7-6. Ben El Hadj also won 6-2, 6-3, and Phan continued to impress in the #3 spot with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Amelunge followed with a 6-1, 6-4 victory, and Johansson (6-0, 6-0) and Tenorio (6-0, 6-0) avenged their doubles loss by sweeping singles play.

"We got by but it wasn't easy. Their number one was battling Cartoon all day," said Peach. "We needed to play and we needed to get it done. The scores might not show how hard we played, but both teams played hard."

The Knights will go right back at it tomorrow, facing the Argos in Belmont at 9:00 AM.