Rohnert Park, CA -- After literally weathering the storm, Academy of Art University Women's Tennis was able to show just how bright its future is at the Sonoma State Invitational this past weekend. ART U started its fall season by competing against a variety of opponents in both singles and doubles action with all Urban Knights in the singles brackets reaching the finals which unfortunately could not be played due to rain canceling the first day of action at the SSU Tennis Courts.

"The girls came out ready to play on Sunday after overcoming a wash out on Saturday and a change in the tournament format," head coach Beth Daub said. "I was very pleased with how they competed in our first tournament."

The first set of singles play saw Nina Gajdosikova advance to the finals after defeating Sonoma State's Sheena Johnson in the quarterfinals 8-2 and Dominican's Irina Morozova in the semifinals 8-6. There, she would have met Michelle Dandik Zaale after the Montreal, Quebec, Canada native convincingly put away SSU's Kaitlyn Haithcock 8-1 (quarters) and Sara Celma 8-5 (semis). Additionally, freshman Annika Schneider defeated Lamella Belgica (Holy Names) 8-2, but fell to Morozova 8-6 in the quarterfinals of that flight.

The second set of singles would have also featured a pair of Knights battling it out in the finals after Jenny Johansson swept Jasmine Martinez of Holy Names 8-0 in the quarters and then topped Sonoma State's Lauren Ha 8-2 in her semifinal matchup. Lucia Zavarcikova would have been her opponent following her 8-2 win over Karlee Budge (SSU) in the quarters and Hillary Fazekas (SSU) 8-1 in the finals. Kinga Kurczbuch was also in action, defeating Catherine Cousins of Mills College 8-0 in the Round of 16 before Fazekas defeated her 8-4 in the quarters.

On the doubles side, Gajdosikova and Dandik Zaale worked through Haithcock and Fazekas (SSU) 8-3 and would have reached the finals while Zavarcikova and Kurczbuch beat the Mills pair of Phoebe Minnete/Kathryn Bartel 8-2 but could not overcome Morozova and Emily Prescott of (Dominican) in the finals, falling 8-3.

The second flight would have seen Johansson and Schneider compete in the finals thanks to their 8-1 win over Dominican's Francesca Katafias and Zwicker in the semifinals.

The Urban Knights wrap up their two-week fall slate with a trip to Southern California for the ITA Fall Regionals hosted by Cal State Los Angeles on Sept. 26-28.

Results

Flight A Singles
Nina Gajdosikova
Round of 16: Bye
Quarters: Gajdosikova (ART U) def. Sheena Johnson (SSU) 8-2
Semis: Gajdosikova (ART U) def. Irina Morozova (DOM) 8-6 (Gajdosikova would have faced Dandik in finals)

Annika Schneider
Round of 16: Schneider (ART U) def. Lamella Belgica (HNU) 8-2
Quarters: Irina Morozova (DOM) def. Schneider (ART U) 8-6

Michelle Dandik Zaale
Round of 16: Bye
Quarters: Dandik Zaale (ART U) def. Kaitlyn Haithcock (SSU) 8-1
Semis: Dandik Zaale (ART U) def. Sara Celma (SSU) 8-5

Flight B Singles
Jenny Johansson
Round of 16: Bye
Quarters: Johansson (ART U) def. Jasmine Martinez (HNU) 8-0
Semis: Johansson (ART U) def. Lauren Ha (SSU) 8-2 (would have played Zavarcikova in finals)

Kinga Kurczbuch
Round of 16: Kurczbuch (ART U) def. Catherine Cousins (MILLS) 8-0
Quarters: Hillary Fazekas (SSU) def. Kurczbuch (ART U) 8-4

Lucia Zavarcikova
Round of 16: Bye
Quarters: Zavarcikova (ART U) def. Karlee Budge (SSU) 8-2
Semis: Zavarcikova (ART U) def. Fazekas (SSU) 8-1 (would have played Johansson in the finals)

Flight A Doubles
Zavarcikova/Kurczbuch
Quarters: Zavarcikova/Kurczbuch (ART U) def. Phoebe Minnete/Kathryn Bartel (MILLS) 8-2
Semis: Morozova/Emily Prescott (DOM) def. Zavarcikova/Kurczbuch (ART U) 8-3

Gajdosikova/Dandik Zaale
Quarters: Bye
Semis: Gajdosikova/Dandik Zaale (ART U) def. Haithcock/Fazekas (SSU) 8-3 (would have played Morozova/Prescott in finals)

Flight B Doubles
Schneider/Johansson
Quarters: Bye
Semis: Schneider/Johansson (ART U) def. Francesca Katafias/Zwicker (DOM) 8-1 (would have been in finals)